Verdict of Truth
by SapphireTrafficker
Summary: It was universal news that Christian doesn't want kids, so how would he react to the news? His wife, Ana, left him for the second time. When she came back with their one year old son, what was his reaction? Why did she come back? Inspired by countless stories. Mainly Ava Meyers' Fifty Shades After. little Cheating
1. Chapter 1

**02/18/2018- I was going to continue it in January, but I got caught up in things, so it didn't happen. Anyways, thanks for all the support I've got, I really appreciate them. I also wanted to say that I've finished this story over my break (from posting) and also a couple more. Again, if you've got anything to say, feel free to do so, even if it's rude or mean or criticizing, I just want to know. I've got plenty of comments that are considered bad but I will let them be, and accept your opinion, even though I won't agree to all.**

 **Before you all get worked up on how unrealistic everything might appear to be, here's a proclamation: this is a work of pure fiction, all mistakes are mine.**

.

 **This is a short story inspired by many stories that I've read. You might find familiar elements, and I'd like to give credits to every story that inspired this one, but I just can't remember, it's too long ago. So I'd like to thank everyone who's stories contributed to form this one.**

 **It's one of the rare times that I will be writing in first person, but I am switching to third person in the third chapter, because I just don't think I can do well in first person. Just a heads-up to you all.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

"Good morning, wife." Waking up next to my lovely wife, mother of our kid, it is such a blissful feeling, a feeling that I never thought I'd ever feel. She's really here, in my arms and murmuring my name with her eyes still closed. The morning light shining through the window and the thin window shades that I put on this morning, she looks like an angel, my angel.

"Good morning, husband." She snuggles closer to me as she gives me a peck on the lips. I smile against our kiss, pulling her closer as if that is even possible.

"Did you dream of me?" I ask playfully, it's starting to be a thing every morning to tease her, I think her giddiness is rubbing off on me the more time I spend with her.

"Hmm. What do you think? Did you dream of me?" She doesn't open her eyes, but I know that she is now fully awake, because her hand is starting to roam around my body as it starts to explore, feeling my skin burning underneath her long slender fingers, traveling from my navel to my chest and up to my lips.

"You tell me, Mrs Grey. When's the last time I sleep in?" I remark, knowing full well that the only few handful of times that I've slept in are when she's with me. "I'm in the best state when you're with me. I love you, unconditionally; don't you ever doubt my love for you."

"Ditto, Mr Grey." She opens her baby blue eyes, the same pair that I fell in love with the first time they looked at me in my office just a few years ago.

You see, my life hasn't always been that smooth, perfect and happy. Before her, I was a mess. When she came, she left because she couldn't take the sadist side of me; and that was only the first time. Fortunately, she came back to me and said to be my wife. Unfortunately, I was left alone again. I thought I couldn't live a day without her and I didn't. The night I kicked her out in my drunken state only because I couldn't accept the fact that I'm going to be sharing her.

That was not the worst because she came back, but not for the reason I dreamed of, she was only back to show me something that I had been dreading of, her medical report.

"Penny for your thoughts?" My thoughts are disturbed by Ana's sweet, angelic, soft voice next to me. I smile at her for using my phrase. "You look lost in thought, and, you think too loudly, Mr Grey." She says, tracing my cheekbone down to my jaw with her slim index finger, my smile grow bigger.

"So do you, Mrs Grey." I say, burying my face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent.

"What's occupying your mind?" She purrs, playing with the hem of my shirt, dangerously close to my stirring cock.

"What usually does." I wink climbing on top of her. "What you do to me, woman." I smile, my lips hovering above hers. I can feel my face split by the grin on my mouth when her hands exploring my bare front as she slides her hands under my shirt, working its way up to my sternum, then spreading across my bare chest.

"I'm sure I am capable of a lot of things." She purse up her lips as she pulls me down. A groan slip out from deep down her throat, I chuckle at the effect I have on her, the effect that I still have and proud to have on her.

A scream from the baby monitor breaks us apart, before she could even get my shirt off my head. Both of our head snap towards the monitor as Ana starts to get up from beneath me. Just the mere thought of my baby boy having a nightmare send shiver down my spine.

"I'll go, Ana." I say, getting out of bed, shrugging on a shirt and putting on a pair of shorts. "I'll be back." I give her a peck on the lips and head to my baby's room.

I am slightly surprised to face no resistance when I tell her that I am going instead of letting her go. In my opinion, I find yesterday night very exciting and energy consuming, because she was exhausted when I pulled out of her. Both of us are sated last night and thoroughly fucked, adding onto the fact that it was already one in the morning when we finally fell asleep, it's only fair to let her rest. She's been through too much.

.+.

Three years ago

 _No, this can't be true, it simply just cannot._ I paced back and forth in the kitchen after receiving the news. I didn't want a kid simply because I didn't want to share Ana, just yet. I may not have told her before, but I do envision my life with her as a family with children running around in our backyard. Her news only came out in the wrong time, I didn't think that the timing could be better. I knew I had to accept it but I just couldn't put my mind to it.

A look at her, she was in despair, made my heart wrench. I couldn't look at her because I didn't want to say anything I would regret, so I marched to the elevator and walked out of the penthouse, only wanting to get some air.

I want Flynn, desperately.

"John, I need you. Please call me back as soon as possible." I croaked into the phone, praying that he would call me back even though I knew he was on vacation with his family. Fuck, _family._ That word again.

The bar that I usually went with Elliot was still noisy like it always had been. Walking in, I immediately ordered the strongest shot they have, then got a bottle of brandy to walk to the corner to try to cloud my head with alcohol and wish that I would wake up to find myself next to my girl and everything was just a nightmare.

When I got home, it was already after midnight, but Ana still got up to clean me, tidy me and put me to bed. If I was sober, my heart would be soaring high in the air, but if I was sober I wouldn't get this treatment either.

I fell asleep the second my head hit the pillow, I just knew it because I couldn't even feel it when my side was empty and cold. It was until the next morning that I realized that I had slept through the night without my wife next to me.

I really couldn't remember what I said to her last night in my extremely drunken state, I was sure that it wasn't anything good because she was nowhere to be seen, not even in the house.

"Taylor, show me the video from last night, when did she leave?" I tried to keep my voice calm and collected like when I was in the boardroom, but I just couldn't it was too much for me to accept. I couldn't lose her, not for the second time; and who knew if she'd be back this time or not. Most importantly, she was my pregnant wife.

"Sir." He said, following me to the surveillance room.

"Did she bring anything when she left?" I murmured to myself, hoping that she wasn't going to leave him for good.

Taylor fast forward the clip to the part where I stumbled back home, waving to dismiss him and then to my bedroom. The image of Ana showing up in front of the bedroom door to help me made my eyes water.

"Just skip to the part where she walked out." I snapped, not wanting to stare at the empty living room while my mind wondered to what might have I said to her.

"Sir." He nodded as he continued to fast forward. "Here," he said, pointing at the screen, "she left at around three in the morning. She left everything here, took her phone and her car but left everything behind." He explained as he checked to see if her phone was still in Escala.

"Where is she now?" I demanded him to track her down.

"Sir?" Taylor looked away from the screen hesitantly, for the first time, he didn't do what he was told and I thought of firing him but that would do me no good.

I just sighed and let it be, she never liked me tracking her anyways.

.+.

A year ago

"Mr Grey," Gail called from the kitchen, "dinner in ten?"

"That'd be nice, thanks, Gail." I replied, returning to the brandy on my office desk, the computer opened beside me and with piles of unread mails, but I wasn't at all bothered.

I was meant to be clubbing with Elliot tonight after dinner and he said he was going to be introducing me to a new girl, maybe someone I could hit and play with. His gesture felt like what Elena would do back then, but who was I to say no to a submissive.

"Elliot, I can't make it tonight. Raincheck?" I stared at the document in front of me and muttered into the phone.

"Come on brother, didn't you crave for a sub for a long time already?" I was almost positive that he was whining, it wasn't like him but I wasn't in the mood to comment on anything either.

"No, Elliot, I'm not going. You go with Katherine." I never liked his wife, and hated her more when she didn't believe that Ana wasn't the kind of girl to just get pregnant on purpose. "Have fun tonight." I said as I hung up on him.

"Taylor," I called the instant I put down my phone, my food still in front of me untouched.

"Sir?" He showed up right away, just like I expected.

"When did you put this on my desk?" I asked, the document was found sitting on my desk just when I got back from my office.

"I believe it was Sawyer who placed it there." He answered courtly.

"Sawyer? Why? When?" I asked immediately, he was the CPO I hired for Ana, and now that she had been gone for a year, and his actions were more than suspicious since I wasn't asking for him to do much.

"It's better to hear it from him I guess." Taylor shrugged, looking away, averting his gaze as if he was hiding something.

"Are you hiding something from me?" I asked, irritated because I knew my staff and my family all loved my wife, so did I. Taylor went silent, which just proved my suspicion even further.

"With all due respect, sir." He started, wanting to explain badly, but I wasn't in the mood for it.

"Save it, Taylor. Leave." I ordered with a sigh, never thought he would be siding with someone else other than me.

"Sir, Mrs Grey is here." He turned back immediately after he started to walk away.

"What?" I whispered to myself, but he had already left to his quarter. "Taylor," I called, I had to know everything, "do you know about this?"

"Yes. Mrs Grey asked me to not say a word."

"You work for me, Jason Taylor, not Anastasia."

"But she's your wife."

That caught me off guard. Just half a year after she had left me, after my family turned their back on her and I did nothing to correct them, I started to accept subs. Why didn't I think of how she wasn't divorcing me, why didn't I think of her words about her actions if she decided to divorce.

"I can't fucking believe you, Luke." The sound made me forget what I was about to say to Taylor. It was only a year and I couldn't even wait for her for a damn year when I vowed to love her faithfully.

"Good decision to leave Teddy with Claire." He sighed and said to himself, but it was loud enough for me to hear.

I didn't know where they were but I knew they were close to my study, I could feel them. Unable to contain my curiosity, I stepped out of the office, in spite of Taylor's warning not to show myself.

"I told you to keep it from him." I could hear Ana's angry voice from down the corridor, she was still chiding him. I bet he deserved it.

"He deserves to know don't you think? He's still your husband." I heard Luke sighed.

There I thought they were talking about someone else, but hell, it was me.

"Husband." She scoffed. "One that moves on just as fast as he proposed."

Shit, is that how she thinks of me? I thought to myself, damn I really fucked up big this time.

"Ana," he called her by her first name, even though it was all she insisted, no staff dared to call her that on my behalf. Moreover, his tone, it was a tone to warn her and to tell her to tone it down.

"Okay, okay, I will see him and I will stay chill." Ana said, and I believed she would be giving him a glare and an eye roll.

She turned and walked towards my office, when she looked up, she halted and gasped.

She saw me and I was suddenly speechless. She didn't make a sound, she just stared. The only syllable I could utter out when I found my voice back was,

"Ana."

* * *

 **It's short and each chapter is going to be short, it's unlike me but... Idk why I'm saying this.**

 **How was that (the chapter) though? Should I continue? What are you expecting?**


	2. Chapter 2

**02/18/2018- I was going to delete all the previous author's notes, but then thought maybe some of you are interested in knowing what I was thinking back then and how big of a jerk (maybe still is) I was (or still am, your choice).**

 **Proclamation: this is a work of pure fiction, all mistakes are mine.**

.

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

Still a year ago if not specifically noted

"Ana." Christian mouthed my name, or maybe he said it out loud, but I really couldn't think straight when my mind was busy trying to deduce how much he had heard. He hated it when I hide things from him, especially one that concerned my health.

From his expression, I could tell that he hadn't had the chance to read it yet, but he knew it was my medical report and he was sure as hell going to be worried; if he was still the man that I married for love.

"What are you hiding from me?" It was him that regained his composure first, it was always him that was so calm and collected on the surface whenever a crisis occurred.

"A lot." I murmured, not really sure if I wanted him to hear it, but he did. The room was dead quiet, he would be deaf if he didn't.

"Care to tell me now? I've got all the time in the world for you." He demanded, I flinched at his harsh tone but polite words.

"Can we talk in your study?" I requested softly, the anger for him and for Sawyer gone for now and it was replaced by how much I missed him.

He nodded slightly and turned to his study, opening the door for me.

"Go back to Claire, Luke, I'll call you when I'm done." I told him. I wasn't sure if he was my CPO or my friend, because he had been by my side all the time.

"I'll take it from here, Sawyer." Christian interjected from behind me, Luke looked confused for a second but nodded, I guess he listened to Christian ultimately, I was helpless in this situation.

Stepping in, he closed the door behind him. I went straight to his desk and picked up the packet that had already been taken out of the document holder.

"I think I have the right to see it don't I?" He said sharply, making me flinch. "Ana."

"I know, and I'm sorry." I blurted out. It wasn't news to me that I was still intimidated by him from time to time. "I vowed to stand by your side in the good times and the bad, but I left just because you said it when you're drunk. I broke my promise." I didn't know where that came from but it felt good to actually say it somehow, ignoring his pained expression that was twisting my heart, I continued just to make myself feel better. "I'm sorry that hid the kid from you for a whole year, making you miss his first year, it was selfish of me. I appreciate that you didn't try to track me down, because I don't like it when you track me. I apologize for hiding my medical report from you, and for coming back to you only because of what's written inside." I said, pointing to the document that he had snatched from me. "But, I'm not sorry for forgetting to take the shot, I won't accept that accusation, because I did take it and I'm pregnant before I have to retake it." I almost shouted out the last part if it wasn't for my voice broke as a tear trickled down.

"Ana, stop and breath." His head bowed down, muttering the last part reminding me, I didn't know if it was shame or guilt, and I didn't know which one I wanted him to feel or I expected him to, because I really just wanted to get everything done and hopefully have a happy arrangement in the end. I didn't expect to end up with him but if I did in the end, I wouldn't complain either. After all, I didn't file for divorce because my heart couldn't bring me to do so.

"I'll leave. You can read this and think about it. I'm bringing Teddy here tomorrow for you to meet him, and we can discuss this further tomorrow." I decided, starting to walk to the door.

"Don't, please don't leave." He croaked, and that shocked me more than anything. He sounded broken, and that was the first time I've heard that from him. "Don't leave me, Ana, what can I do to make up my mistakes?" He pleaded. "I was very drunk that night, and I didn't mean what I said because I don't even know what came out of my mouth." He explained, walking towards me, leaning against the door blocking me from going.

"I know you didn't mean it, but it still hurts." I whispered, looking at him. "I saw Elena's text." I confessed.

"I was going to find Flynn, but he was on vacation so I just wondered to her place and she took me to a bar where I got drunk."

"Was she badmouthing me again? Was she telling you how incapable of love and family you are? What were you thinking going to that woman to get everything out?" Anger bubbled in the pit of my stomach, the rage that I wasn't feeling a minute ago. A sudden nausea ran thought me as I felt dizzy, I stumbled forward, falling on to him as my hands flew to my head, massaging my temple. His arms was around me to steady me immediately, but he didn't move me away from him, he just hugged me close.

"Ana, what's going on?" He asked worriedly. "Forget about what happened in the past for now, we can talk when you're better."

"That's the thing, Christian." I mumbled against his chest, it was not the way I imagined to break the news to him.

"What do you mean?"

"I was diagnosed with cervical cancer." I pulled away from him to look at him, but as soon as the words left my mouth, his grip tightened around me and I knew I'd never step foot out of the penthouse again.

"When did you know this?" His voice was a mixture of worry, anger and sorrow.

"Couple of months ago." I whispered in reply.

"Are you treated immediately?" I nodded, but said nothing because I couldn't afford the best treatment so I went for the standard. "Is that in the file you gave me?" I nodded again. "Why are you hiding this from me, Ana?"

"I didn't intend to tell you, because you said you wanted nothing to do with me. I don't know how Luke got ahold of the file, but he insisted on giving it to you, and he just did, I didn't even know when." I spilled out my gut to him, knowing he'd dug everything out one way or another, sooner or later. "Claire insisted that I should come back to you, but I didn't dare, especially when Luke told me you've been with a sub lately."

"That's pathetic." He cut me.

"What is?"

"Ana, I would never ever ditch you. I was just shocked to find out that we're going to have a son, I didn't know how to react. I would never let you leave me. Taylor and Gail weren't telling me anything and it was driving me insane."

"I made them not to."

"Why? Ana, why? You know how much I love you, you know how far I'd go just to keep you." He cut me off again, showing his desperation to make me understand that he wasn't responsible for what he said that day when he was intoxicated.

"But you need a sub. You got one not long after I left, didn't you?" I inquired, tired of the same repeated argument about his needs that he claimed to not have.

"No, I don't. Elliot brought them to me, thinking that I can take my anger for you out on them."

"Elliot? So now your family hates me. Great, just great." I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "Good that I'll be dead soon, take care of Teddy." I muttered to myself as white lights flashed through the back of my mind.

"What? What did you just say?" Christian shook me, making my head pound even more. I winced and he stopped suddenly. "You're going to the hospital."

"No," I was suddenly alerted, "not so fast, Christian." I said.

"Why not?"

"Let me go." I commanded and he did reluctantly, hurt by the request. Stepping away from him and lean against his desk to rest my head. "You need to read the document."

"Why don't you just tell me, since you're here?"

"Because you're never letting me go if I did." I whispered, couldn't find a better answer to decline, it was the truth.

"I'm not planning on letting you go even if you didn't, Ana." He said, stepping closer, throwing the file on his desk as he stared at me expectantly.

"That file contains the birth certificate of Teddy, my medical history and my diagnosis." I cleared my throat, pointing at the file that he just put away. "I only asked Luke to give you the birth certificate and everything on Teddy."

"So you never intended to see me in person?"

I sucked in a breath, I didn't think it would sound that painful coming out of his mouth. I shook my head slowly, unable to look at him.

"Look at me, Anastasia." He lifted my face by my chin, forcing me to look at him. I expected to see rage and frustration, but I only saw the latter. "What do you want?"

"I want you to take care of Teddy."

"Is that all you're here for?"

"Yes." I gulped at the sudden hardening of his eyes. Till this time, I wanted to forget everything and just stay with him, but my pride wasn't allowing me to. For a second, she thought he was going to let her go, just like that.

"What I said that night, Ana." Instead, he said this, "can you forgive me for that? I'm not asking you to forget, but can you forgive me?" He begged.

"Your family?"

"Screw my family. They had their doubts from the day I told them I proposed." There was a tint of smile in his eyes, hinting that he was not in his worst mood.

"Did you end your contract?" I then thought of how he was according to Luke's source from Taylor.

"Last night."

"Did I save you from getting into another contracted relationship? I heard you're going to meet another sub tonight if it wasn't for this file." I huffed at the thought. "Maybe you should end your contract with me first. I thought you were monogamous."

"Ana." He pleaded, his eyes begging me to drop the topic, but I was too stubborn to do so because I was still feeling the hurt of the words that he said to me the night he kicked me out.

"I don't want anything from you, because I can't use it."

"Stop, don't be so pessimistic. Ana, I won't let anything happen to you."

"Of course, you already can't prevent it from happening."

"Anastasia." His stern voice startled me, I knew it was because of what I was saying, but I thought it was true.

"So you're not angry that I hid everything from you?"

"No, I'm not. I'm more concerned with your well-being now that you're back."

I wanted to tell him that I didn't plan on coming back to him, but I couldn't get the words to come out of my mouth. He wanted me back as much as I wanted to go back.

"Ana, come back to me. Please."

"We'll talk about this tomorrow, please?" I couldn't decide just yet.

My hesitation didn't come from my reluctant to swallow my pride and give into him but it came from how well he was going to be with Teddy. I knew he didn't like kids and I knew Teddy was happy with Luke and Claire, but I also had a feeling that he wouldn't want to miss out on his son's life any longer.

"Where's he now, my son?"

"At Luke's." I replied and he frowned. "He and his girlfriend's house." I elaborated, reading his expression accurately. "Luke was with me when I left, despite insisting that he should stay. I'm just surprised that you didn't fire them when they're not telling you anything about me."

"It wouldn't do me any good if I did."

"Are you sure it was you who thought of that? For the first time, Christian, I'm surprised you didn't act recklessly when you're enraged."

"Yes, because I have a clear goal, which is to get you back."

"Oh, how did that go then?" I eyed him sardonically, he knew exactly the meaning behind the look.

"Ana." He sighed frustratedly at my tone.

"I'm going to go. So, are you going to drive me or am I going to call Luke to come pick me up?" I ignored his look and decided to stick to my plan.

"You're not going anywhere. This is your home, I'll have Luke come over with Teddy and his stuff."

I glared at him for being so imperious, it was one of the moments when I hated him to be in control.

"It's been a year, Christian, a whole fucking year. If it wasn't for my medical report sitting on your table, I doubt you'd be remembering me at all." I shouted in his face with rage.

Before I was able to say the next thing in my mind, he caged me, pinned me against his desk with both of his hands on the table surface on either side of me. The move startled me, making me swallow back whatever that was going to come out.

"I married you because I love you, because I care about you, because you're everything to me. You have no idea how big of a difference you have made to my life. With you gone this time, I realized that I could never live without you."

"It wasn't what you said that made me leave, Christian." She blurted, his words always made her melt, she hated herself for that. "It was what you did." She whispered.

"What did I do?"

* * *

 **What'd y'all think?**

.

Below can be ignored if you're rereading it.

 **Thanks to all the reviews, and support! Thanks to you all, I've never updated this quickly.**

 **And, to a Guest who scolded me scaring them with my profile page, I'm really sorry about it, I'll add something to it so that the ghost story won't be the only thing that stays there. Also, thank you for dissing my story too. It's a good laugh reading your review. I mean it, I'm entertained and amused just as much as you hate me.**

 **The author's note in the next chapter might be a little bit longer, you don't have to read it, because you won't miss anything important.**


	3. Chapter 3

**02/day/2018- don't act like I didn't warn you if you're taken aback by the whole chunk of bolded words below because I just said in the last chapter that I'm leaving it just to tell you that I'm also human and I make mistakes too, sometimes gigantic ones and sometimes the ones that are no biggie.**

 **Proclamation: this is a work of pure fiction, all mistakes are mine.**

.

Below can be ignored

 **A LITTLE NOTE- thanks to a Guest (just wish you're a registered reader so I can give you a shoutout and thank you through PM) who reviewed the minute this chapter is up, I realized how irresponsible a writer I am and I've made a big mistake. I've changed the time a little in the first chapter so by now, Teddy is about one. I said they met a little over three years ago in the first chapter, let's just say they got married and everything** **quickly, you know, it's Christian Grey right? So, I've changed it to 'three years ago' instead of 'two' just to make this fit so Teddy can talk. I apologize again for my irresponsibleness and thanks again to the Guest!**

 **Upon all of your hasty and impatient reviews, I have decided to post this to ease your anxiety. Although, I'm not finished with the fifth chapter and I'm not exactly feeling very safe without having two chapters complete ahead, but for you guys, I'll just let you guys read on first.**

 **Before you start reading everything (you can ignore the ramble, which is the two lengthy paragraphs in bold), just to give you another reason to hate and criticize me even more, I didn't answer the cliffy question from the last chapter that's kept you all hanging. Also, if I remembered correctly, one of the reviewers got a theory somewhat correct.**

 **I'm just gonna start running now to escape...**

 **I'm sure most of you don't like the Anastasia portrayed in this story, I don't either, because she is the model of an irresponsible parent and wife, also a woman who would run away from the reality problems. Yes, the cheating is very unlikely, but I did say it's going to be very out of character. The characters (Christian and Ana) I portrayed in here are very self-conflicting, their thoughts often contradict their actions, leading them to believing in their actions as a result. For now, Christian is putting Ana's health in priority, but Ana wants to fix the issue of their relationship first, because she was prepared to die. Both of them are always debating whether to dwell on the past or focus on their future, as in forget the past and move on.**

 **It will always be debatable whether it was selfless for Ana to die just to spare Christian the spending as a way to redeem herself for her reckless actions, or it was selfish to put him in misery while she ends hers. Personally, I don't like the Ana in this story, but I like the Christian, at least the personality and the way he handles stuff (unlike his original character). And, just to be clear once more, both characters are very OOC**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own a single fucking shit. You know what I mean**

* * *

Still a year ago - few days earlier

Ana stood in the living room of the apartment that she was staying in temporarily, she thought she was going insane, but the document she had in hand just proved her wrong.

Few days ago, she went to the hospital, to check on her head that had been aching since before the birth of Teddy Grey. It was odd and strange to her that it still hadn't cure fully, even after a year after giving birth. It wasn't pregnancy that caused the pain.

"What does it say?" Claire was standing next to her, peering over her shoulder, she wasn't even bothered to hide the content. Ana was just in the middle, standing there, frozen at the information. "Oh, god." Claire gasped loudly, and that caught the attention of Luke.

"What? That bad?" Luke came over, looking worried. Taking the papers out of Ana's hand, he scanned it over and then handed it back. "I don't see how bad this can be. Ana, just go to the hospital and do the MRI or CT scan to check, it might be a non-cancerous. See? It says there are chances that there is a tumor and it might be benign." Luke pointed to the words written in bold under the column named 'suggestions'.

"But what if it's malignant? What if it will kill me? I don't have time for the treatment, Teddy needs me, he's still too young. I think I can wait for a little while, it's fine." Ana said, holding her head as she announced her decision.

"Ana, no, just go and check." Claire said decidedly. "Or we're getting Mr Grey involved."

"Are you threatening me, Claire?" Ana eyed the woman standing beside her with her hands on her hip. "Tell him then." She said indifferently, "not that I care. I bet he's not going to bother, you told me that he's moved on didn't you, Luke?"

Luke was halted in his track, he didn't remember the conversation, but it might've slipped his mouth. It was something that Taylor ordered him to keep from Ana, but it turned out that he might've just spilled it to her one way or another some time ago.

Whipping out his phone, he sent a text to Taylor, informing him of the situation. He got a reply immediately, telling him to force Ana to come back, because Grey wasn't any better.

According to Taylor, the other staff and his family, Christian was devastated to hear that Ana left him with the unborn baby.

.+.

The past wasn't the thing that bothered him. Ana hid a lot from him, but Christian thought whatever she had in mind at that time was nothing compared to what he had done when he accepted the sub from his brother. That mistake was unforgivable, and he didn't expect Ana to stay with him after she recovered from her illnesses.

All Ana did was leave him because she didn't trust him to be a reasonable husband, a rational man and a responsible father, so she decided to raise the child herself. He knew she came back this time not only for him to take care of the child, but also to ask for money. Not that he objected to the financial support, he thought he made it clear that all that it was his would be hers, so he was hurt when she hadn't been using the credit card he gave her.

Lost in thought, he strolled slowly across the living room towards his study to retrieve the file sitting on his desk. The opening of the elevator startled him and cut him from his thread of thought.

"Tired, Lukey." A small child's voice stopped him in the midway of heading to his office. Christian stepped back to the living room to see Sawyer holding a small child, with the same copper black hair like him when he was small and the same blue eyes like Ana's. He was unmistakably his son.

"But we're here, kiddo." Luke replied in the most gentle voice he had ever heard. "Mommy's here waiting for you." The little kid's ears perked up when he heard the mentioning of his mother.

"Mommy?" He reached out his arm in my direction, whilst asking for his mommy. His heart ached for him when he knew that Ana wasn't feeling well and was asleep. He wasn't planning on waking her up anytime soon.

"Mommy's asleep, baby boy." Christian took a step forward to be within his reach, he didn't know what he was doing, nor did he have any clue of what he wanted to do. He was just standing within Teddy's reach, and he couldn't say he wasn't the slightest disappointed when the little boy retracted his outstretched arm.

"Teddy, this your is daddy. You've always wanted to meet him didn't you?"

"But mommy said he busy work." The kid pouted. "She said he on business trip, she said daddy leave before I get up, come back after I sleep." For a kid that was only a few months over one, he was real chatty. He must've had a pretty good environment growing up, at least pleasant and light. "You says mommy here."

"Mommy is here." Luke replied, he gave Christian a helpless look as the kid ignored Christian completely, even when he was introduced to him as his father.

For a one-year-old, he was awfully smart and Christian knew that. "Mommy is sleeping, she's tired." Christian said softly, not wanting to intimidate the boy and at the same time, wanting to get closer to him and get to know him.

"Where is me?" He asked looking around his surrounding, while sticking a thumb into his mouth to suck on it as a gesture when he didn't know what to do.

"You're in your home." Christian informed gently and a little bit hesitantly, he didn't know what Ana had in mind.

"But mommy no say we have a big house."

Christian didn't know what to respond because he had no idea what Ana had told him. Then he remembered the file he was supposed to read.

"Taylor," he called when Luke brought him away to meet Gail. "Can you bring me the file on my desk?" Taylor went and came back with the document in his hand. "Thank you." Christian said as he opened it to scan through it.

"Jesus Christ." He almost cursed out loud because the content of the documents were shocking.

The first page was the birth certificate of Theodore Trevelyan-Grey. He looked adorable in the picture, but for some reason, he didn't have a satisfied look on his face, he was still frowning as if there was something that was missing. Christian was more surprised that Ana used his last name, and when the certificate was filled out, Ana didn't use her maiden name, she put down, Anastasia Grey, and didn't leave the father blank.

After the pictures and the sonograms and everything about Teddy, he was struck by the diagnosis report. Even though he couldn't understand half of the things, but he could read, at least he knew what a cervical cancer was. It wasn't helping that it was found out only a few months after his son's birth. When he saw the bill, he was surprised to see that she was on loan.

Why didn't she come to him for help? He wondered, but of course, she thought he wasn't capable of handling a family.

"Then what's with the Elena bullshit." He muttered to himself as he flipped through the page to find words and phrases that he could understand.

"Shit." He almost said it too loud, when Ana had almost recovered from her early stage cancer, she had a tumor in her brain. According to the paper, the tumor wasn't benign, nor was it easily fixed. There was a higher chance of her dying than her living, Christian sucked in a breath. As much as their issues weren't at all sort out, he didn't want her to leave, he still loved her like he always had; he wanted her by his side. He needed her.

Thinking back to the symptoms that she had shown earlier in the office, and then looking back at the report in my hand, I connected the dots.

"Luke." I called, he quickly showed up without Teddy in his hands, I was relieved to know that my kid was having fun with Gail and Taylor. "Do you know about this?" I held up the file in his face and asked.

He nodded, then opened his mouth, "sir, I can explain." He said frantically. Looking up, he thought I was going to stop him, but I looked at him expectantly, deciding against my initial decision to stop him and yell at him. So he continued. "Mrs Grey called me the night she left the penthouse, she asked me to drive her to the hospital because she wasn't feeling good, so I did, but half-way there, she said to drive her to her old place-"

"Wait, hold it there, Sawyer." Christian rubbed his face tiredly, "did Elena show up? You were with her all the time right?" Luke nodded, wanting to know what he was getting at. "Did Elena ever show up to bother her? Or did she receive any threats from her? Anything, just any contact with her?"

Luke thought for a moment and shook his head slowly and quite hesitantly. "No, I'm pretty sure Elena didn't contact her of any sort. May I ask, why?"

"She told me Elena blackmailed her." Christian confessed, this time, seeing Luke as more of a friend and family of Ana's as a staff. "Told me that she confronted her the night she left Escala and saw her downstairs."

"I don't remember ever seeing Elena confronting her." Luke frowned at the information.

"Then why did she say that?" Christian mused to himself.

"Have you gone through the documents, Mr Grey?" Luke asked, nodding at the documents.

"No, not yet. I've just learned that she has cervical cancer." He sighed frustratedly.

"With all due respect, sir, you need to take her to the hospital to take a MRI or CT scan. The cancer is almost cured, you just have to make sure she goes to double check with the doctors. She is pissed when Claire and I insisted that she comes back to you, I don't know what happened really, but I do believe that she needs you. Mentally and physically." Luke confessed.

"Thank you, Luke. I figured as much." Christian stood up, handing Luke the papers. "Can you please put it back? I'm taking her to the hospital immediately." Luke nodded and left with the papers.

Christian made his way to the bedroom, Ana looked peaceful, too peaceful to be normal. He furrowed his eyebrows, it wasn't like her to be as pale as she was right now. He wanted to assure her that he got her back and she was back in his safe arms.

"Ana, baby." He called into her ears, but she didn't budge. "Ana, wake up. Teddy's here." He said it a little louder, Ana had always been a light sleeper, it was very unlike her to not wake up when he nudged her. Shaking her lightly, he tried again, but she was still not responding.

"Ana!" He screamed when her hand dropped down free-falling when she was turned to the side with a light nudge from him. Christian took out his phone and dialed for an ambulance, he thought about driving her himself, but he didn't know what was going on and he didn't want to risk anything.

Taylor and Gail stormed in to his room upon hearing his hysterical scream of his wife's name. Sawyer followed, only poking his head in so that whatever bad was inside, Teddy wouldn't witness it.

"Sir."

"Mr Grey."

The couple that just entered said at the same time, both of their attention turned to the lifeless pile of limb in bed. Gail let out a relieved breath when she saw Ana's chest falling up and down, but the breaths were shallow.

"Take care of Teddy, keep him here." Christian ordered Sawyer and gave Gail a look to tell her that she should stay and help with Teddy, she nodded reassuringly.

"Sir, the ambulance is here." Taylor's voice was calm but there was a trace of panic in it. His staff all had a soft spot with his wife and so did he.

"Bring them here." He ordered, Taylor brought the medical group inside as Christian scooped her up from the bed gently and placed her on the stretcher.

He said nothing as they started to take her downstairs, Christian followed them into the ambulance, his mind wasn't on anything apart from the situation Ana was in. He didn't even have the mind to think of his son. It may sound irresponsible, but to him, his wife was his top priority.

Christian resisted the urge to yell at them for touching his wife everywhere as if the body was dead, he wouldn't even let a single soul touch her if she was dead. He watched the nurses move around to attach everything and perform tests. One doctor started asking for information from him and asked him to fill out a sheet, he did with a shaky hand. Signed his name and sat there looking helpless and lost. He resisted the urge to touch her because he didn't want to interrupt them and prevent them from saving her.

The rest of the trip was silent, the only sound that could be heard was the movement from the medical team, attaching machines and taking out equipment. The friction of their white sleeves colliding with one another, everyone busy with their assigned job. He couldn't take his eyes off her, seeing her attached with all the machines and see the numbers on the screen wasn't helping him to calm.

"Mom," he answered the phone once he saw the lit up screen in his hand. He was now following the medical team down the aisle to the emergency room.

"What is happening, Christian? Jason called to tell me your wife's unconscious and is at the hospital." Grace said, her voice nowhere near calm.

"She said she's dizzy and wants to sleep, so I brought her to our room and she didn't wake up when I called her."

"What did the doctors say?" She asked.

"Mom, can you just come down here, please? I'm worried and I don't know anything." Christian requested, he knew that his mom wasn't exactly a fan of his wife, but he was not going to have any of them diss her, not in front him and not when she was sick. In his opinion, just because she had left him with his unborn baby and came back for help didn't mean a thing. Both of them had wronged one another, even though her reasons were a little pathetic and his actions were not at all tolerable, but it shouldn't be the obstacle in between them. The drama should should be stopped.

"Okay, I'll be there." Grace sighed, he could hear the reluctant in her voice, he would fight back if it weren't for a doctor approaching him to update him on the information.

"I need to talk to you about something, mother." He left this sternly before he hung up the phone to face the doctor.

"Mr Grey." The doctor looked at his clipboard and then up at him, "I'm sorry to inform you that your wife is in a coma due to the enlargement of her brain tumor."

"How long has she been in a coma?"

"A couple of hours, sir."

"Is the tumor benign or cancerous?" Christian didn't know how he could remain so calm and collected to ask the question, but he knew he had to stay like that in order to think straight to help Ana.

"I'm afraid, it's malignant, Mr Grey."

* * *

This can be ignored:

 **Oh my god! I can't say how sorry I am for making that gigantic mistake for making a one year old speak so flawlessly. I'm really not being sarcastic or anything I'm just not into kids and all so I let it slip that a one-year-old can only say simple words, not so clearly. So sorry that I fucked-up, please forgive me, I will definitely keep it in mind in the future and hopefully avoid writing about children since I'm bad with kids in general anyway. Call me heartless and diss me all you want, I think I deserve it. I apologize for my grammar mistake, too. I'm really sorry that I'm such a disappointment...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone, I know it's been a long while, but I finished this story, and hoped that it's now less flawed. I never said that my works are flawless or perfect and never will make that claim, but I do enjoy writing it and I do wish you will enjoy reading it. I know that I make a lot of grammar mistakes, and I know it's a bother for a lot of you and I am sincerely sorry for the inconvenience. I appreciate every review, good or bad, complement or critique, because they reflect the impact of my story. I have replaced the previous three chapters in a vain attempt to correct my mistakes and minimize the grammatical errors. I welcome all kinds of reviews, even the ones that are a little rude or over the line, even if it makes me a little bit upset, I will still humbly accept them. I can't promise that I will agree to everything you reviewed, but I will be grateful for your thoughts, no matter harsh or gentle.**

 **There are times that I thought I should take down this story and just either give it all up or rewrite it, and I think it's the reviews after I panically posted my ramble on how fucked-up, screwed and doomed I am and how** **irresponsible I am as a writer, I stopped myself for taking it down. Thank you for all the reviews, the ones to point out my terrible mistakes and the ones to make me feel better, I love them all! I hope to see you at the end of this chapter.**

 **I initially wanted to finish this before the end of January, but for multiple reasons, I wasn't able to do that. One of the reasons was that I was working on this other story that I've finished way before this, I will post it near the end of this story. Then, there are my school craps. I hope you all agree with me on this: School Fucking Sucks!**

 **I know that I haven't been the best writer in updating, and with stories, but with this one, I've been through a writer's block and even though I've got some ideas on how to make the plot flow more coherently, I wasn't able to get them out the way I want them to be, so it took me a very long while. I do hope the work you'll read is worth the wait.**

 **Proclamation: this is a work of pure fiction, all mistakes are mine.**

 **Enough from me, now over to you.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

Upon hearing Christian's call, Grace got to the hospital immediately, even though she wasn't fond of Ana and her actions lately, and besides, she wasn't on duty.

"Mom," Christian cried out, walking to her when she walked through the door to the ER area. His mom gave him a warm hug and looked at him worriedly.

Seeing his son's torn expression and how stressed out he was, she knew that Ana should be trusted and well treated, for his son at least, so she said. "I'm going to check on her, okay?" Christian nodded numbly, pacing back and forth in front of Ana's door, waiting for his mom to come back out.

Grace did come out after what seemed like eternity. Christian's head snapped up just as he did with every movement coming from the door.

"How's she?" He whispered, unable to speak properly in a normal voice because his voice might just break.

"Do you know about her recent medical history?" Grace asked calmly, but her pale face wasn't helping his son to calm down at all.

"No," he shook his head, sheepishly, "I haven't got the time to read it over." He admitted with all the guilt he was feeling.

"Ana was diagnosed with cervical cancer after giving birth," it was the first time in a while that he had heard his mom refer to his wife in her given name. He nodded, slightly taken aback at the time of the diagnosis, it wasn't 'a couple of months' like Ana had said herself. "She had warnings from the doctors about the risk of having cancer if the baby was born, but she obviously had none of them and chose the baby."

"Does the baby carry any potential cancerous cell?"

"Luckily no," Grace responded, "but after giving birth, Ana wasn't well treated, according to the report." Christian sucked in a breath, wondering why that was the case. "They were able to cease it from spreading and getting worse, but didn't manage to cure it."

"So it isn't cured. Fuck, someone told me it's fine mow."

"She's far from fine, Christian, because the brain tumor had to be removed whether it's benign or malignant. It's only a matter of time."

"So what's the plan now?" Christian asked instantly, but before he let her answer, he remembered another question had had burning in the back of his head. "How did she end up comatose?"

"Christian, her medicine has toxic chemicals that are needed to fight against the cancer cells, with the tumor in her brain, I'm surprised she haven't collapse. She did today, I'm guessing it's because she met you, and saw that you could help her, so as huge weight has been lifted from her shoulders."

"So she collapsed, and let her illness got the best of her?" He finished his mother's sentence in a sigh of despair. Grace nodded.

"Also, because the medicine is making her weak in strength, plus the constant ache in the head, it's all too much, too overwhelming." She, too, sighed. "Christian, I'm sorry about what I've said against her, but I'm just trying to look out for you. So are your other family members."

"It's okay, mom, I get it. But you can't speak for the others, I understand you, but I'll have to see if Ana is willing to forgive you all, and also forgive me."

"Can I meet my grandchild any time soon?"

"If you get past momma bear, then sure." Christian chuckled, gesturing to Ana's room. "Teddy is still clingy to his mommy, currently, I didn't even get the chance to meet him properly before I found Ana passed out in bed."

"What's his full name?"

"Theodore Trevelyan-Grey." He announced proudly with a faint smile on his lips as Grace's eyes started to fill with joyful tears.

"She named him after granddad." She gushed, "oh the old man is going to be so happy when he hears it."

"We can bring Teddy to him after everything's settled." Christian offered, only to make more tears pour out of her eyes.

.+.

The sound of the hard heels of a leather shoe clicking against the cold marble floor caught the attention of the mother and son. Grace quickly wiped her tear stained face to face her approaching colleague coming out from Ana's room, with a clipboard in hand.

"Grace, Mr Grey." The man said, nodding at both politely.

"Bruce." Grace nodded back in respond, they must be at the same level of position as they addressed one another by their first name.

"Doctor Lanteau." Christian replied, reading his name off his name tag.

"I have some news, and you can be the judge of whether they're good or bad." Both of them nodded again, although Christian was growing anxious when the tone he heard sounded wary. "Mrs Grey is currently stable and is in a medically controlled coma, so her blood pressure and her cancer can be treated."

"That's the better one isn't it?" Christian muttered, not even wanting to accept the truth himself, let alone prepare for the bad news. The doctor nodded, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Regarding her brain tumor," he spoke again, "since she is unable to decide for herself, Mr Grey, I'm asking you to make a decision for her." Christian nodded for him to continue. "There are two surgical approach, one is radioactive and another has a high risk of death." He broke the news, none of the choices were ideal. "Gamma Knife is highly radioactive and with the chemotherapy she's going through right now, the radiation will be very damaging to her body. The cranial surgery requires strength from the patient, but your wife currently isn't in the best state to undergo that kind of grand surgery." He laid out the resolutions and waited for him to make the decision.

Christian was absolutely clueless about what were the pros and cons and what would be the best option. He turned to his mother for help.

"Can the surgery wait after her cancer is cured?" Grace asked, she might have a standard to help her choose.

"I suggest not, Grace, because there is a high chance that the tumor is not benign." The doctor said, shaking his head.

Grace glanced at her son and then back at the doctor. "Can you please give us a moment?" She requested, the doctor nodded and went back into Ana's room.

"A doctor that did her initial check up told me that the tumor is malignant." Christian said to his mom, not missing a beat after Doctor Lanteau left.

"No one is sure of it, that's only her initial check up, Christian. Some doctors tend to inform the family the worst situation so that they are prepared if it really happens." Grace explained, which was not at all satisfying. Christian was speechless, he had never faced one of those dilemma before and had never imagined himself being stuck in one of those situations. He stared at his mom for further instructions, he had no idea what he wanted and what was the best for his wife; he was completely lost.

"Doctor Lanteau," he called the same time Grace called, "Bruce." The doctor looked up to them and started to walk toward them, but apparently both of them called for a different reason.

"We've decided," Grace said, catching Christian off guard, he gaped at his mom.

"That wasn't why I called him." He muttered under his breath but decided to let his mom take control since she seemed to know what she was doing, even though he really wanted to get into her mind right that moment.

Ignoring his son even when she had somewhat heard something from him, Grace turned to her colleague. "Go with GK." She decided, Christian's gaping mouth widened, staring at his mother with complete and utter shock.

"Gemma Knife, right, you're going to sign a form then, follow me, Mr Grey." The doctor declared with a nod, accepting their decision.

"Mother." He exclaimed, calling his mom in a formal fashion for the first time, signaling her that whatever it was must be important.

"Yes Christian?" She looked at him with concerned eyes.

"Why didn't you discuss it with me?" He argued. "For a record, you don't like her, never did; second of all, she's _my_ wife and I do like to know what's going on before you make any choice for her. I'm sure the matter isn't as urgent down to minutes." He was pissed, beyond angry at his mother that he had never been that angry with.

"Christian, I didn't do this out of my own dislike. Yes, I like your wife, I just don't like what she made you go through. I have my doubts, especially when she ran off with that unborn child of yours, but I don't regret making a decision on her behalf because I know I'm doing the right thing." She argued back, shocked to see that Christian was facing her with an attitude. "You don't know what's going on, so I am going to explain it to you, but the decision has to be made quickly. The tumor is malignant, the cancer cells can spread very quickly to the rest of her body."

"I am well aware of that, as a matter of fact, _mother_."

"No, listen to me, Christian." Grace put up a hand to stop him from spitting out whatever words that he might regret and end up hurting her and their relationship. He stopped. "I didn't choose this because I want her dead or I want to hurt her, I didn't even want to make her suffer or cause any trauma for her in the future, I want to minimize the damage. I did this because I know you're in love with her, very deeply, in fact, and I see that you're happy, so I want it that way. Your family may not be a fan of her right now, but I'm sure we can get around, for you. I want you to be carefree and untroubled, and if she does that to you then I am more than willing to get to know the side of her that you see in her."

"Grace, I really want to believe you and I appreciate your effort to make amends with my wife, but I do want to come clean to you because I didn't get a chance to with her." Christian's tone changed. "She didn't leave on her freewill, she did it because of something I did and I think I know what it was, now."

"Christian, I think it's best if you tell Ana what you've just told me, she needs to know it, and she has the rights to, too." Grace told his son sternly but at the mean time, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder after he told her about his exchange with Elena and the text.

.+.

Ana woke up only to be put back into unconsciousness again. She hated to be out of control and not knowing what was going on, yet again, it had always been Christian's hobby to take control and understand everything, she only ever needed to submit herself to him. Sometimes, she thought she would defy him, but she hated to see him angry, especially if she was the cause of it. He was her Fifty Shades, she loved the man with all her heart, body and soul; she felt that he didn't understand a single bit when she lectured him on the difference between ownership and relationship, he'd obviously taken none in. Still, she let it slide and married him.

Christian wasn't at all happy when Grace made the decision for him, not only because he hated to be out of control, but more importantly because she was his wife, he should be the one to decide because she was his.

The radioactive surgery was scheduled only a few days after she was stabilized, still in a medically induced coma, Ana was slightly conscious of the people around her. The Grey family had came to her room at least once, they had talked but none of them were to her. She wasn't sure whether they liked her after what she had done, leaving her husband carrying his child. She couldn't blame them for disliking her, but being the optimist she was, she chose to believe that Christian didn't cheat on her and the Greys were disappointed but would eventually forgive her. She didn't know how much of the talks that she had with Christian were her mind playing with her, she knew she would imagine things and take them for real. Sometimes, she would hallucinate and she didn't even know she did.

Ana had to be put out of coma for the surgery to take place, but when she opened her eyes to the bright hospital room, there were only people in white uniform and surgical mask around her.

"Can you hear me, Mrs Grey?" The nurse closest to her asked, she tried to move her head to nod, but she was too stiff to do so. "Blink once for yes and twice for no." She added in her soothing gentle voice. Ana blinked once immediately.

"Anywhere in pain?" She asked, preparing for a follow up question. Ana blinked once, but she wasn't able to move any part of her limbs to show where she was hurt. "Is it your head?" The nurse asked, and Ana blinked a yes, again.

"Okay, I am Doctor Lanteau." After a series of questioning and checkups done by the nurses, the doctor with a pair of glasses appeared next to her bed. "I am going to be in charge of your further treatments."

Ana blinked once acknowledging him and indicating that she had heard the rest of his sentence, but her eyes still widened when he said 'further treatments', she thought she got woken up because she was ready to be released.

"Do you want to know about your treatment detail and procedures? Your husband has been informed already." He added, looking at her eyes to wait for the reply, she was about to answer yes, but when she was told that Christian knew, she suddenly felt tired and decided to spare herself from tiring her already throbbing brain. So she blinked twice, telling him she didn't want to hear it. He looked surprised at first but quickly masked it up.

"Then we will begin the treatment." Doctor Lanteau announced. Ana laid in bed watching everyone get to work, there wasn't a single familiar face that she recognized. Exhaling, her mind drifted to her husband, the man she trusted with everything and promised to never leave, left at a moment of weakness, distrust and hurt.

Before her mind could go any further, she was been cut off from her monitors and been rolled out of the room. She thought she could at least see someone familiar but there was none, for a moment, she panicked, believing that she had lost her memory, but she was quickly calmed down as her eye lids fell heavily, covering up her eyes as she fell asleep again. This time, it was the effect of the anesthetic kicking in.

The second time she woke up, the pain in her brain was gone, but she turned around to find herself in the ICU. She couldn't be more familiar with the room than she was now, she remembered clearly what it was like when Ray was inside after his last car accident.

"How are you feeling, Mrs Grey?" A nurse came in before she could even move a muscle.

"I feel fine." Ana croaked out, only then to realize how dry her throat was. The nurse reached for the water next to her, putting the straw near her mouth for her to suck the water in bit by bit. "Why am I here?" Ana asked once she could speak normally.

"I will get Doctor Lanteau, he will be here to explain everything." She got up from next to her bed after making sure that everything was still in its right place.

"Mrs Grey, how are you feeling? Any pain? Discomfort? Nausea?" Doctor Lanteau entered not long after the nice nurse left, she couldn't exactly recognize him since she was always on the verge of consciousness, it was hard for her to recognize any member of the medical team.

Ana shook her head. Eyeing him weirdly, didn't understand a bit why he asked all that, she thought she had no symptoms.

"Your surgery went well, it was successful, but after you woke up from the anesthetic, you slipped right back to unconsciousness and your blood pressure went haywire. We had to put you in a coma again to stable you." The Doctor informed, Ana could feel the color on her face drain away, it was scary even hearing it from hindsight.

"How long have I been in a coma?" She asked timidly, her voice croaked.

"Few days." He answered informatively with little emotions, while flipping through a thick stack of paper on the clipboard in his hand, she cringed, that must've cost a lot and she had no idea how she got down like that.

"You still need to be under intense care for a couple more days, we still need to keep an close eye on you." He continued, despite her shocked and frozen facial expression.

She stared, unable to process the information. She felt like she was just fighting with Christian yesterday and now she found herself laying helplessly in bed, feeling weak as ever and totally out of control. She still hadn't got the chance to tell him about the real reason she left him. About Elena's text.

She felt like a mess, but she wasn't the only one.

* * *

 **For this story, if anyone is interested to beta it (the not yet posted part, cuz the story is finished), please leave a message or PM me. We can talk about the rest...**

 **Even though this is finished but I still want to know if you want to keep reading it, I don't have to post the whole story if you don't think I've made much changes. Tell me if I've improved at least a teeny bit.**

 **Now I know that no one likes lengthy author's note, wherever they are and whatever they are about, but I just have to say it. You don't have to read them, but if you care, then please do.**

 **I'm starting to feel less for this story than when I first started it in the heat of the moment, but I still want to finish it, so excuse me for my lack of excitement, because my passion for this plot has changed and I kind of don't feel the same about what I planned as I initially did. However, hope you all will be reading and enjoying the other story. I know it's not something a writer should say in their story and it is really irresponsible of me, but once you lose your spark for a certain story, it's hard to find the similar feeling back. Even if I did, everything will be different. So I'll just try to stick to my original plan and write out what I think is in my mind originally. I hope you understand...**

 **Authors here tend to apologize a lot, as I found out lately, and I can't say I'm any different... I see every reason to say sorry, because I am. If you hate me, just don't bother reading my stories then; I really couldn't give a damn. You make your own choices.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Call me irresponsible, I just want to finish this story because I don't wanna leave it incomplete. Berate me for the poor quality all you like because I've started to lose interest. And I'm so sorry, but I can't feel what I felt when I first started.**

* * *

Christian paced in the security room, Ana had been unconscious for the last three days, seeing her lifeless figure with only the beeping of the monitor to indicate that she was still alive. He couldn't bear it anymore, seeing her like that, unable to be next to her to comfort her. The most recent conversation that had had was an argument.

In spite the fact that she had came back to him merely because she was severely ill, and for the sheer purpose of leaving their child under his care so she could just let herself vanish from this planet as if she had never existed before; he didn't care. He was awfully glad that it was him that she approached, no matter what the reason was behind her return, even it had barely any association to their affection toward each other, he was still over the moon to see her back in their penthouse.

He hope that his life would return to normal once she recovered from her severe illnesses, and perhaps, she would be willing to come back to him and grow her positive mindset back into her brain like she had always had. It had been a few months since she was released from the hospital and back to the penthouse, her doctors weren't giving her specific orders in regards to how she should take care of herself, because what she needed the most was to rest.

"Do you know how much the ICU costs per night?" Ana mumbled through her lazy eye lashes as her eyes fluttered open to look at Christian who was hovering over her in bed.

"Where did that come from?" He frowned at her from above.

"I was just thinking."

"Then stop." He helped her up, still looking far from satisfied from her thought. "I've taken care of that already. Stop stressing about it." He removed the blanket and helped her out of bed.

"When are they arriving?" It always fascinated him how she could change the subject as if they were just talking about the weather.

The news that Ana had been released from the hospital didn't go unnoticed by Christian's family, everyone in his family seemed to be interested in paying a visit. Genuinely wanting to see her or not, Ana appreciated their effort in trying even though she didn't want to see them. She thought she had betrayed their trust by leaving their son heartbroken.

"Soon." He replied, the hand on her waist never breaking contact with her skin, she was standing in front of the mirror trying to tame her bed head, but she could only move in a certain speed.

"I'm sorry." She muttered after staring into the mirror for a long while.

"What? What are you apologizing for?" Christian frowned again.

"I've been nothing but a burden to you since I fell pregnant." She explained in a small voice, applying some makeup to make her face look more lively.

"Ana, stop that." He scolded. "We can talk about it later, even though I don't see the need to do so." He took a deep breath to calm himself before he flip his shit on her, not only because he hated when she talked so lowly about herself, even when they weren't on good terms, he still wouldn't tolerate her being so pessimistic about life.

"Okay, later." She said weakly. "But you have to let me talk, I know shit will hit the fan… just, try to maintain calm? I just wanted you to know for now that I didn't leave you because I don't love you anymore, I left in a moment of weakness after I saw Elena's text on your phone." She talked like she was walking on eggshell. He hated it when she do that, but right now that would only lead to another disagreement and he didn't want that, at least not before the visit of his family.

"Okay, I will keep quiet for you to talk." He sighed in defeat, giving in to her. "Just to clarify, I was going to go to Flynn's but he wasn't there. I had a drink with Elena and I got drunk."

"I know you didn't go to her deliberately and her text isn't something that I was going to hold against you, I was just hurt by your move, that's all. I was weak and your words came out without filter that night, so I just cave in and decided to leave the mess." Ana sighed, sniffling a sob that was rising. "I was going to come back, but decided against it when Sawyer and Taylor told me you weren't stable and you are a mess."

Christian sighed, he ran a hand through his hair in frustration and led them out of the doorway. The ding from the elevator wasn't unexpected by the couple, Ana had just made her way out of the bedroom, leaning against Christian for support. She had barely recovered from her treatment, though the doctor had allowed her to come out of bed and walk from time to time, but instructed her to keep it light. Christian had stayed at home, tending her like he had never done before. Ana felt more than guilty to put him through this.

"Ana." Grace surged forward and engulfed Ana in a hug, but Christian's hand never once left her, he was always there to support her and to steady her when needed. Her legs were still weak, it was taking her more strength to sit down and stand up, so when they suggested to take a seat, she hesitated.

"Where are your parents? Are they informed about the situation? Do they know that you're out of the hospital?" Grace kept Ana at arm length, firing her with questions while scanning her from top to bottom with an examining expression.

"Ray is never in the state of travelling ever since the car accident, so he won't be here at all. My mom, well, I believe she sent her sincere condolences; it will only surprise me if she is here. My dad called to check on me though, my mom… she just isn't my biggest fan. Even though Christian offered her his jet, and surprisingly she didn't jump at the chance of taking a private plane, it doesn't really shock me that she's not willing to even give me a call, let alone come here herself. I'm really not her biggest concerns, just ignore my family." She rambled, leaning closer to Christian when she felt his arms tense around her waist.

Grace was speechless by the confession. None of them were aware of the complicated situation and relations in her family, other than Ana's husband, they thought Ana was a girl who grew up in a well-loved family, because she was a sweet girl.

"I didn't really tell you all this looking for sympathy, I know I'm pathetic with a even more pitiful extended family, please excuse my lack of background." She casted her eyes over to the other members standing behind Grace gawking at her awkwardly. She had a vain hope for Kate to say something to save the situation, but as a person new to the news she had just heard, no matter how supportive she wanted to be, her tongue got caught like the rest of them.

Then it was Kate. They were the only two people in his family that actually came up to greet her properly, hugs or not.

"I'm sorry, but I will still try my best to be supportive of you, Ana." Kate whispered and mumbled in her neck, next to her ear, trying to convey the reasons for her lack of emotions earlier. Truth to be told, Kate had been numb since Ana left. She had been bugging Christian for information until the day he threatened to file an assault against her, and that was when she decided to stop.

The other family members took a seat, despite the awkward glances from Elliot and Carrick, they all went to take a seat on the couch when Gail brought them drinks and some cookies. Mia remained rooted on her spot, her stare at Ana slowly turned into a venom glare.

"Mia?" Christian didn't want to let go of Ana, knowing that she couldn't stand on her own for long, but he was still concerned about his baby sister.

She finally moved, but it wasn't because her brother had called her, it was because Ana had moved her mouth.

"Whatever it is you have against me, I know I deserve the accusations and I know an apology won't cover it, but can you please just tell me?" Ana's bottom lip quivered as she said quietly, but there was no tears slipping down her cheek. She stared at Mia, wanting her to do something, anything, because the silence was killing her.

Mia slowly took a step forward, she was right in front of them, her eyes never once left Ana. The hatred and the strong distaste in her eyes were evidently the reason for the glower and the cold shoulder.

When Ana opened her mouth to speak again, she was shut up with a slap across her face. The contact of Mia's palm on Ana's cheek resulted not only a red finger print, but also several scratches from her long nails. Ana flinched and winced, but she did nothing to fight back. It wasn't because she was too weak to do so, it was only because she believed that she deserved this kind of treatment.

"If it weren't for you, my brother won't even have to worry about a single fucking thing. You waltzed into his life, and snatched him away from us, then left him, breaking his heart. Do you know how much of a bitch you are? I was never wrong about a person I was about you, Anastasia _Steele_. You don't even deserve a name of a Grey, because a Grey would never do what you've done. Now stop acting so weak and get the hell out of his world." She was about to make another move, but Christian took grabbed her wrist and threw it away with a menacing glare in his eyes. He had never been more angry with someone.

"You've hurt him, and that hurts me and the rest of the family, because you're just too selfish and self-centered to get over the fact that you're only trying to get his money. I don't know how you lured my bother into marrying you, but don't you ever think having his child will keep him with you. A child won't tie you to him forever, he can take him away just with a snap of his fingers. I will never forgive you for your actions." Mia glowered at the whimpering in his arms, lying weakly and putting most of her body weight on him. One of her hands was on her bruised cheek and another was on her temple, rubbing it to get rid of the throbbing pain.

Before she went limp in Christian's arm, she felt his breathing accelerate and heard his angry voice. She didn't know if he actually kicked her out or if he was just threatening her, but she couldn't feel anything, not even when cold water was splashed on her face.

"You disgust me," she stepped closer, pointing a perfectly manicured finger in her face and spat in her face, "I will never forgive you for what you've done to my brother."

Ana stayed still and she couldn't even hear the rest but Mia thought she could, panting in rage, she stomped over to the couch and sat down, waiting for Christian to put Ana down so they could start negotiating terms of separation or divorce.

"Disappointment doesn't even cover what I feel for you right now, Mia." Christian seethed through his gritted teeth, his hand instantly went to Ana's head to feel for a temperature. He had been told that she could pass out easily and if her brain started to burn up, she needed to be at the hospital immediately.

"What was that, Mia?" Kate seemed to be the only one who glared at her.

"What happened, Christian?" Grace seemed to be the only one who realized the extent of Ana's condition, because no one else seemed to be paying much attention to the lifeless body in his arms apart from scolding Mia and asking about what was going on.

"I need to take her to the hospital." Christian panted, he lowered his forehead on hers just to make sure he had felt the temperature increasing rapidly.

"Now?" Elliot bolted up.

"Yes, now. So if you all will excuse me for being so rude trying to save my wife." He glared at everyone in the room, and didn't even bother to glance at his sister before heading to the elevator with Taylor in tail.

"Sawyer had the car ready, Sir." Taylor informed once they were in the elevator with Ana in his arms. Christian nodded in acknowledgement.

He would sprint to the ER if he was sure Ana could deal with the bouncing, no matter what happened between them, he couldn't deny his feelings for her or his desire to take care of her.

"Mr Grey," Christian shot to his foot when the man in the doctor's coat called his name, "Mrs Grey's condition is the result of a concussion. It seems like the wound in her head due to the Gemma Knife is healing in a very slow process, although slower than normal, it is still progressing. The impact of the hit on the head has resulted the wound to open up a little bit more. Normally, if the blow is light, symptoms such as nausea and dizziness similar to after enduring a GK, but given her previous condition and her state of well-being, the hit seems to be too strong for her to endure thus she lost unconsciousness."

Christian listened to the description patiently, silently berating Mia for her reckless action. He regretted ever planting the wrong idea in their mind, when his family started to make all the accusations about Ana after she left, he didn't bother to correct their ideology, he had been too busy sulking by himself to even justify to his family for his wife. That would end now, he thought, every wrongful thoughts that his family had ever had about his marriage end now, he made a mistake and drove her away. Even if it wasn't entirely his fault, he still cheated on her by taking the sub that Elliot offered.

The thought of his family's reaction toward the failing of his marriage disgusted him now, the mere thought of how Kate turned her back on Ana the minute Christian told them part of the story made him want nothing more to do with her; the sheer memory of himself taking a sub on from Elliot because he needed the 'relieve' couldn't sound more revolting than in this very moment; the fact that Mia's hatred had led her to hit Ana made his stomach churn, his family had became a group of monsters that he couldn't recognize and didn't acknowledge scared the shit out of him. The minute they walked into the foyer and when only Grace greeted Ana made him regret ever allowing this visit.

"Can I see her now?" He didn't wait for him to finish his sentence because he zoned out half way through the doctor's report. He didn't think he needed to know any more apart from staying beside his wife.

"Yes, she's in the private room as you requested." The doctor nodded his head politely before leading him to the room not far away.

Seeing Ana attached to all the machines, his heart constricted once more. He breathed out in relief when two nurses went to her bed and removed the oxygen mask on her face.

"Oh one more thing, Mr Grey." The doctor added, but Christian wasn't having any of it, he walked straight in to the room, ignoring the doctor altogether.

"Later." He heard Taylor's voice behind him, signaling the doctor to wait, in that moment, he was more than thankful that the man he hired had been his friend when he needed him to be.

"Christian." Ana croaked, attempting to lift up the arm that wasn't coiled with lines but with a monitor on her finger.

"Rest, baby." He cooed, gently laying a hand on her arm, placing it back to her side as he took a seat next to her bed.

"No, I'm fine." She insisted, pushing herself into a seating position. "Please don't hate Mia, it's not her fault."

"How is it not her fault?" He yelled, the sudden outburst didn't even make her flinch but she winced at the sound when her head throbbed. "I'm sorry, baby." He apologized, planting a soft kiss on her temple when she closed her eyes waiting for the pain to pass.

"It happens constantly, don't worry." She assured when she reopened her eyes. "A reoccurring symptom of concussion."

"Seriously, Ana, I don't want to talk about how my family mistreated you _our_ home. I just want you to get better so we can have our lives back."

"What did my mom really say when she was told about my condition?" She asked, stroking her bare arm with her none wired hand.

"I offered my jet, but your mom claimed that she was busy and can't leave, so she told me to take care of you."

"That's it?" Although it wasn't surprising coming from Carla, but she surely thought her mother would at least say something more in front of her husband.

"I don't expect anything more from her, to be honest." For the countable times that Christian had met Carla, her mother didn't make a great impression, but since she didn't find her mother as an issue, he wasn't going to do anything about it either. For all he cared, he didn't even need to have any connection with that woman all his married life.

"I thought at least she'd try to present a picture of a responsible mother in front of my husband." Ana shrugged.

"But she didn't." He took a seat next to her again, his hand resting on her stomach protectively, even though she wasn't pregnant, he just wanted to feel her.

"I never intended to be the one to spend so much money." She looked down, fiddling with her blanket, finding another topic of discussion.

"Why are you being so pessimistic about life lately? You're acting like this ever since Sawyer brought you back."

"I didn't want to burden you." She finally looked up, expecting to see a pair of angry eyes staring back at her, but all she could see was sadness and pain in his eyes. "What?" He didn't no what to say, he was trying his hardest to let her feel loved and let her understand that the year they just had should be erased from their memory. "Do you remember my wedding vow?"

"I'd never forget even if I want to." She whispered, confused at where this was going.

" _I solemnly vow that I will safeguard and hold dear and deep in my heart our union and you… I promise to love you faithfully, forsaking all others, through the good times and the bad, in sickness and health, regardless of where life takes us. I will protect you, trust you, and respect you. I will share your joys and sorrows and comfort you in times of need. I promise to cherish you and uphold your hopes and dreams and keep you safe at my side. All that is mine is now yours. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love from this moment on for as long as we both shall live._ " He repeated his vows despite her telling him that she remembered. The simple gesture along with the tenderness in his voice was enough to bring her on the brink of breaking down in tears.

" _I give you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, to stand by your side in good times and in bad, to share your joy as well as your sorrow… I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals and dreams, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, to share my hopes and dreams with you, and bring you solace in times of need... And to cherish you for as long as we both shall live._ " Without thinking, she found herself reciting her vows to him when they stood in front of the priest. It all came out in a murmur, but it was enough for him to hear that she still remembered the faithful and solemn oath that she had taken the day she promised to be his forever.

"I didn't vow to you only to break them, Anastasia." He said solemnly. "I married you because I love you, because I want to take care of you and because I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He continued, not giving her a chance to rebut. "Before you said that I'm only honoring my vow from our wedding, I mean what I promised and I intend to keep it as long as we both shall live. I'm not taking care of you because it is solely my duty to do so as your husband, I am doing everything for you because I love you and I want you to live and share my life with me. How can I make you believe that I truly love you? How can I show you how much I love you? When can you understand that you are the only one that I want to grow old with? I want everything with you, Ana. I want a family with you, in spite my reaction that night, I never meant what I said to you."

"Do you remember?" She asked through thick tears that were flowing down her cheeks faster than the tissue in his hand could catch them.

"Remember what?"

"What you've said to me that night when you got drunk." A sob escaped her parted lips when her mind brought her back to the night that she broke her promise and left him.

 _"You said I intimidate you." He slurred, his breath smelt of heavy alcohol._

 _"I did and I still do when you're unstable. That's why I said I have to be alone for a while." Ana repeated her statement for utmost the hundredth time._

 _"You're leaving me?" It was the first time that he had responded to her answer. "You cold-hearted bitch." He snarled before Ana could open her mouth to tell him the opposite._

 _Grabbing on to the wrists that were on his shoulders, he threw them away in disgust and turned away from her. The rejection felt like a stack of divorce paper thrown in her face._

 _Dejected, defeated and enraged, Ana stood up and strolled to the door. Grabbing a jacket on the way and headed to the elevator._

 _"If Elena can give you the comfort you can't find in your wife, then I don't see the point of me being at your side." She muttered to the sleeping figure. "Goodbye, Grey." She whispered through her tears, whipped her head around and left without a single lace of hesitation. He didn't register any of it, he couldn't; he was too drunk, but he remembered hearing them._

Vaguely, the words that stung like a bitch came back into his mind. It was something that had been swirling in his mind but never knew where it came from.

"I thought I never said those things." Was all he could utter out on the brink of breaking down.

* * *

 **Please go check out _The Elite Bachelor_ , I've grown to quite like that story now. It** **will get exciting if you didn't like it at first, just keep tuning in. The angst is still in a distance, but just you wait. When it really comes, you will be shouting at me and digging a hole for me to jump in already.**

 **This one will be finished, don't worry. Also, I reply to reviews too, so if you have a question or anything that I think I can answer, you'll see a reply.**

 **The wedding vows are from the book Fifty Shades Freed.**


	6. Chapter 6

**The epilogue parts were actually what I am looking forward to... so sorry if this chapter seems to be wrapping things up in a rush. Some issues are going to be reviewed and addressed in the multi part epilogue.**

* * *

Christian was now pacing in front of Ana, unable to break the news that he had just heard to her. It would crush her, and he didn't want to see that. If he was the boss, he would be firing that Doctor Lanteau the instant he heard of the report. If it wasn't for Grace's presence, the new doctor that was attending Ana may be facing a fit from him and he would be demanding Grace to find a way to make him suffer.

"Christian, just stop pacing and tell me. I'm already in the hospital, I don't think I'll get any worse than I am right now, plus they can get to me faster now that I am attached to everything possible." Ana said from the bed, she was now sitting in a upright position, her hands not detached from the machines, but her face looked better already. The scratch mark was fading and there was still a faint bruise on her cheek. He scowled at the sight of it. "Hey, I meant it as a joke." She reached out a hand for him and he took it willingly in a heartbeat.

"I wasn't frowning at what you said." He clarified.

"Oh, then what?" She cocked her head sideways in the cute way that only she could pull off without looking like a dumbass.

"Your scar." He traced a finger around the bruise and used his knuckles to graze the fading marks on her skin, despite the non-sensual touch, she still leaned into him.

"Don't stress, Christian." She took his hand in hers and planted a kiss in the center of his palm. Without releasing it, she brought it to her side as her hand fell to rest of her stomach. "What did the doctor tell you?" She asked quietly, the pad of her thumb feeling the back of his hand.

"He said from the check ups and all the analysis that they performed, it turns out that your tumor is benign and it could've waited until your cancer is cured and until you're in better conditions." He stated in the calmest voice he could manage.

"What's so frustrating about that?" Although Ana could understand why he was so irritated and angry with the doctors. If she wasn't prepared to stop living, this news would seriously bring another spring of tears from her, but now, still with all the negativity, she thought it wasn't anything bad. "If you're fussing over that, then I'm not sure you'll fancy a talk with me."

"You wouldn't go through all of that if I hadn't sign that form that quickly, I thought it was urgent and they did the surgery when you're only slightly better. I would've waited until you're not that weak so you don't have to suffer all that much. It would be so much better if they waited, I just thought there's not another option and you have to be operated…"

"Christian." She squeezed his hand and when he didn't respond, she placed that hand on his lips to shut him up. "You're rambling." She grinned when he refocused on her.

"Okay." He sighed, lifting up her hand and letting his lips brush over her knuckles before kissing each and one of them.

"Okay?" She was expecting a different reaction from him other than a simple 'okay'.

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" He cocked the perfect eyebrow at her, making her swoon at how perfect his man looked.

"I just thought you'd be fussing over what I just said."

"About the talk?" She nodded. "Ana, I want us to communicate and talking is a type of communication, last time I checked." He said.

Ana nodded and smiled sadly, clearly something was bothering her and she knew that something wasn't going to be liked by her husband.

"Why didn't you divorce me?" She asked all of a sudden, completely out of the blue.

"What?" He almost jumped out of his seat when he heard the question, "say that again?" He was almost positive that he had heard it wrong.

"Why didn't you divorce me? Was it because I had your kid? Or were you concerned that I might take your money?"

"Anastasia," he stood up and sat on the edge of her bed, looking at her sternly and almost angrily, "if you're waking up to ask me this, then I'd rather you be in a coma, because I am not going to hear any of it. Do you hear me? If I ever divorce you I'd rather give you everything I have because I can't live a day without you."

"But you did, didn't you? For a whole year." She pointed out.

"Let's lay everything out shall we? Clear the air." He heaved a sigh, it was hard not to be angry with the stubborn woman in front of him that he loved more than life; he knew he would be combusting if she wasn't in such a state.

"We shall." She replied in all seriousness. "And I shall start." The determination in her voice made him cave in, but he knew nothing would be settled if she did.

"No, hear me out first." He placed a finger on her lips, silencing her. "Promise me I will not be hearing any apologies."

"Fine, I promise. You'll do the same?"

"Yes." He nodded, and started to make his speech. "Let me tell you from my point of view from the very start." Taking both of her hands in his, he pulled them closer to his mouth but didn't kiss them. "I don't remember saying those words to you that night, Ana, I thought I imagined the conversation. I believe you when you said I did, because knowing me, I probably really did, but you have to believe me when I said I didn't mean it. I don't mean any of the words that I had said. They sting like a bitch hearing them even now, coming out of my mouth, and I swear I didn't want to hurt you. I want to do something to replace the memory you have of me from that night, and when you get better I'd like to know how I can achieve that."

"I'm sure you can find a way, Mr Grey, you always do." She smiled encouragingly, but he couldn't deny the smugness in her voice when she gave his hands a gentle squeeze, reassuring him that she understood.

"So much faith that you have in me." He shook his head, and carried on with his story. "Kate didn't believe that you just walked out at first, but she slowly became convinced that you did. Elliot wasn't on your side for a single moment. He was insecure of his relationship with Kate, he fears that Kate would want a life that we have."

"What do we have?"

"He fears that she will get jealous of you, because I am more powerful and richer than him and you get better stuff." Ana rolled her eyes and scoffed, otherwise let him continue. "I know, but I wasn't in the mood to talk about anything, so whatever they said, I did nothing to correct. Kate didn't stop asking me about you but I didn't want to talk about you so I ignored her. Mia was hurt because I was hurt, so she hated you. She adores, but I guess she is only just protective of me."  
"I get that." Ana pulled one of her hand out of his grasp to stroke his face. "I know you two shared a strong bond and a special relationship that people hardly understands, so I don't blame her when she slapped me. I know why she did it, and I deserve that kind of treatment."

"No, you don't. Ana, you don't deserve any kind of treatment of that sort! What they did was utmost the most disrespectful thing, Ana there is no other explanation to it. What they did cannot be excused."

"But I hurt you."

"Don't you think I'm also at fault, Ana?"

"Not as much."

"I cheated on you, Ana. I'm not proud of it, I fucking hated what I have become in the past year without you. It was one time and I regretted with every second of my life; I didn't defend you against my family's accusation and I didn't shield you from Mia's attack, my parents were starting to spur up speculations about what our relationship really is. I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to you because of something I can easily prevent from happening. Now with Elena's text, my mom thought I'm still in contact with her, but I'm not. It was just one moment of weakness and I thought she was still my friend."

"Christian, nothing happened. We've both fucked up, and I can feel your remorse."

"And that's not fucking enough…"

"Shut the fuck up and listen to me, Christian." She rolled her eyes and tapped his cheeks. "Do you know why I came back? I came back to hand Teddy over to you so I can die in peace."

"Ana!"

"Don't fucking start." She chastised, stopping him from scolding her, she knew she would pay for what she said but she couldn't stop from saying what she needed to get out. "I know you're a billionaire that has more money than sense, and couldn't care less about the thousands of dollars spend on a medical bill, but I don't want to be treated. If I didn't collapse in your bed, then I'd be dead by now, and that's how I wanted to be. Dead."

"Why Ana? Why?" If she didn't know him, the tone of his voice told her that he was crying and he wasn't even going to hide it. The fact that there were already tears shedding down his face and dripping down from his quivering lips, his hands were shaking when he croaked out the question.

"There's no point. I don't want to live for the sake of others and I don't think any one would care anyways. I left in a moment of weakness and you went back to your old lifestyle."

"You said you left in a moment of weakness, I went to Elena and fucked a sub in a moment of weakness. You said you'd never leave me, I said I'd love you faithfully. Your actions are no different to mine, Anastasia, our sins can hardly be redeemed. I didn't go back to my old lifestyle, you are the only person that I've ever wanted in my life."

"But-"

"Stop being so stubborn and prideful."

"Prideful? Are you fucking with me?"

"Stop being so stubborn and fucking forget whatever that's going through your mind, because I don't give a fucking shit about what got into you and made you decide to give up life, all I care about is that you change that mindset right this fucking instant and stay alive. Live like you've never lived before and show me the Anastasia that I fell in love with, show me the girl that loved me despite my darker side."

"I told you-"

"That you won't live for the sake of others, I heard it." He bolted right up, fisting a handful of his hair and pulling it, staring at Ana as if she would disappear just any time.

"How do you know what I was going to say?"

"I know you okay, Anastasia, I fucking know you better than I know myself. Look, Ana, I made another mistake when I let Grace made the decision of your treatment plan without going over the details myself. You could've avoided all this if I went through it with the doctor and made sure it was a cancerous tumor." Ana looked away from him and started to contemplate on what she was about to tell him, telling him how she had been the burden to him and how she had made him spend all the time at home taking care of her when he could go back to work.

"You've got nothing to apologize for, Christian. Your parents didn't like me the second I ran off with your child."

" _Our_ child."

"That's not my fucking point." She didn't even let him finish. "I understand that your mom made the decision for you because she thinks its the best at the time, I don't doubt that. Even if she wanted to hurt me, in which I don't believe she would, what she did hardly damaged me."

"Do you think she'd want to harm you purposely?"

"No, do you?" Ana answered with determination.

"I don't know anymore, all I know is that my mom wants to make up with you and perhaps you can come back to the family. I really can't explain what got into me that day, and I don't even know why she made the decision without consulting me." Christian sounded doubtful and hesitance, he was now questioning his own mother.

"Stop questioning your mother's love towards you, Christian." Ana's stern tone caught his attention. "Whatever that she had in mind, she had your best interest at heart."

"Hurting you is never my interest."

"So that won't be what she wanted. There, just trust her. I'm fine now right? So just drop that and forget that you've ever doubted your mother." She chastised lightly.

"Am I a hypocrite?" He blurted out the moment she finished scolding him, it had been occupying his mind for a long time. He was soon to jump back to his old lifestyle and he had been a pussy to not correct his family's assumptions, then he came to her asking for forgiveness, and she had given it to him and his family in a matter of seconds. If it wasn't for her open mind, he didn't know if he sounded like a hypocrite for reciting their vows and breaking so many in the past year.

"Maybe." She shrugged, pursing her lips up to ponder. "I forgave you all because I hate to leave this world knowing that I am still holding grudges against people, and even if I lived, holding a negative emotion against someone, let alone a whole family, is tiring. I'd rather just let them be and distance myself from them than living up to their expected standards. I'm sick of what people are expecting from me, first my mother, now my husband's family."

"Hey," he whispered, placing two fingers under her chin and lifting it up, making her look at him, "look at me."

When she did, he told her with the most ardent look, and told her.

"I am begging you to come back with me. I don't care if you're not talking to my family, I don't care if you haven't forgiven me entirely for my sins, but as long as you give me a lifetime to make it up to you, I couldn't care less about how you treat my family. You are my family and this family comes first."

.+.

"Do you ever regret not having a prenup signed?" Ana asked, her mind wandering at all places possible.

"No, of course not, why would you even ask that?" Christian looked hurt and offended, he opposed to the idea of making Ana sign a prenup because he believed that his wife would be marrying him for love not for his wealth.

"Because when I married you, I've got nothing, so if we are getting a divorce, I won't be taking anything. I just want you to know that I am not looking to gain anything out of this relationship."

"I said I don't mind if you don't have possession, I vowed to take care of you, and now what's mine is also yours." He looked at her with gentle eyes. "Baby, if we are ever getting a divorce, which I'm not planning to grant, there's no point of me having anything, because you are my everything. How many times do I need to repeat that I won't need anything if you ever leave me?"

"I was just thinking." She shrugged sheepishly, guilty for bringing up the conversation.

"Well, you think too much."

"You know what I had considered the moment I found out that I'm pregnant?" She said next to him after a long moment of silence after she got berated for thinking too much, playing with the belt loops on his jean. She was laying next to him on the floor of his library, he was typing on his computer and she was just there to accompany him because she had nowhere else to be.

"Hmm?" He looked down, letting his hand fall on her head and caressing her cheek, she was still weak and slowly recovering from the intense treatment that she had to endure due to the wrong diagnosis.

"I thought about abortion." She almost whispered the last word. His hand stilled in her hair, making her look up at him alerted.

"Why?"

"Because I thought you don't want a baby." She was still playing the hem of his shirt absentmindedly, but her eyes were fixed on his the entire time.

"I never said I don't want a baby, Ana, I only said I don't want to share you just yet. I want us to have a family and have children in the future, I just thought it was distant, your announcement just shocked me. I just didn't know how to take it." Christian sounded apologetic and guilty.

"I don't want to share you either." Ana moved her hand beneath his shirt and started to draw circles on his bare side, sending sensual shivers down his spine.

They fell into a comfortable silent where only the typing on Christian's keyboard could be heard.

"My mother was once pregnant with a kid when she's still married to my father." Ana started, breaking the peaceful air. It made Christian turn to her, she never confided him in her childhood willingly unless he asked about it. She ignored his look and continued to tell her story, feeling the need spill it out. Good that he didn't interrupt. "They were in a good relation then, so I got jealous and demanded that they got rid of the baby."

"So they got an abortion?" There was not a judging in it.

"Yeah, and later, they got into a fight and divorced. I've got no fucking clue of what they fought about and I didn't really care at that time." She nodded and continued her story telling. "But when I started to care, when they fight, I wished that I had a sibling that I can talk to when they were fighting and pulling me in. I felt guilty for killing a life and I regret ever deciding to not want a sibling."

"My girl got jealous." Christian pulled her up by the shoulder and placed her head on his shoulder, kissing her forehead and smoothing her hair. Chuckling at the recount of her story. "It's okay, they were the final ones to make the decision, so if they didn't stop the abortion then it's their problem. You were just a kid back then." He soothed.

"Yeah, I wish I didn't." She sighed.

"Do you still get jealous easily?" He teased.

"From time to time." She shrugged, leaving out what she was jealous over, but she knew he would pry it out of her.

"Over what?"

"Things that are mine." She looked away coyly.

"Like?"

"My teddy bear." She giggled with the instant reply.

"And?" She knew he wanted her to say him, but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction just yet.

"And…" She pretended to ponder and he knew she was taunting him, and it was working. "Want a list?" She finally looked up, her eyes glinting with humor.

"You have a list?" He raised an eyebrow when she nodded, wondering how far she could bullshit. "Am I on that list?"

"Probably at the very bottom." She shrugged innocently, smoothing the bunched up shirt in his chest with her palm.

"How very nonchalant of you. At least I'm still on that list." He tugged her hair gently, making her face her, she pout up her lips making a kissy face and he complied with a peck.

"I try, Mr Grey." She giggled, pulling his head down for more than a light peck.

"Here, I've got something to show you." He said, turning his attention back to the computer, then the speaker in the house started to play soft classic piano music.

"Way to ruin the moment." She pursed up her lips to prevent herself from smiling.

"You don't even know what I'm about to show you."

"But I know you."

"Touché, but you might be wrong." He winked, making her swoon.

Putting the computer aside, he stood up. Scooping her up in his arms because she was still physically weak after the recovery and her head wasn't in any better conditions, he tend to carry her around a lot.

Heading upstairs, she was presented with the cutest nursery.

"Teddy's room." He introduced, gently adjusting her to stand. "I thought he'd like it." He said, letting her take in everything.

"I can't wait for him to leave Luke's place." She whispered to herself. With everything she was going through lately, none of them had any time to tend to their adorable baby son. Ana had been in and out of consciousness and Christian was at her side every moment of the day, she didn't know how to thank Luke and Claire for taking care of her son.

"He should be getting a raise." He mused.

"He better."

* * *

 **The rest of the chapters of this story will all be parts of the very long epilogue. I've got a plan for it and a lot of details, but with my work load it will be taking me a long time to get everything out. So please be patient and wait for me if you really like me :)**

 **My profile can be useful from time to time, just saying, check it occasionally and it might help you.**


	7. Chapter 7

Present — Third Person

 **Escala**

Walking back to the room, Christian sees the bed empty, he smiles to himself and makes his way to the unlocked bathroom.

"Teddy's supposed to be at my parents' today." It has slowly becoming to be a tradition or a habit to them for their son to spend Saturday night till the next day after dinner at Bellevue, but every Saturday morning, Christian will come to her and ask for her permission.

"I know, let him go." Ana shrugs, really not getting the point why she has to give permission each time. "I may not be in a good relation with your family after everything, and I'm trying to let them back in, but I'm not going to stand between Teddy and his extended families. He is an innocent child after all, he doesn't deserve to be in the middle. I know he will be loved and well-treated, I'm not at all worried. I may not trust them with me, but I do trust them with Teddy because he is also your son." She explains, it is the similar lecture that she gives every single time he informs her about the plan.

She told Christian that she has forgiven his family but that doesn't mean she will be visiting them anytime soon. She chooses not to dwell on anything that induced the mess that she was in, simply because she likes to focus on her future, and she wants her life to be simple. All the complications in the past year has been dragging her down, and she wants nothing but to put it to an end. An apology from Christian's family can be accepted easily by Ana, but what she feels about his family won't change in an instant. She is reluctant to go to his family gatherings and he understands it, he respects her wishes. Despite her protests when he decides to ditch his family and stay with her, he insists that his small family comes first. If this didn't happen, he is sure he won't be acting all this patient with Ana and his family. Ana has made it perfectly clear that she is going to step away from his family for a while and she will come around eventually; and this time, he rights his wrongs and defends his wife, while forcing his family to keep their distance.

"Okay." He nods reluctantly, just like he always does. As much as he wants his family to undo what they have done to his wife, his small family comes first. His priority is Ana and his son, so if Ana doesn't want Teddy to be cut off then he won't be. "Got anything planned today?" He asks, stripping out of his clothes and walking towards her.

"It's snowing outside, so I was thinking maybe we should go to the park to have a snow fight." She says, cocking her head. Her bare legs crossed in front of her as she leans against the vanity unit, her finger resting on her chin. When she sees the dazed looking husband of hers staring at her legs, she takes in her bottom lip and gives him a wink just when his eyes meet hers.

"Don't try to distract me when I have a conference call scheduled in half an hour." He growls lightly, striding towards her.

"What have I done now, Mr Grey? Always accusing me of such naughty doing." She lets him pull her hand away from her chin and releases her bottom lip.

"As tempting as fucking you here right now, I really need to shower and you're coming with me." He says in a husky voice, leaving soft kisses all over her face.

"Won't that take even longer?" She questions innocently.

"Then I'll just take you against the shower wall." He answers roughly before taking off her top.

"We'll do whatever you have in mind after that call okay?" He mumbles against the back of her neck once he steps into the shower behind her, letting the water run down his spine.

Ana has never felt so happy before, she feels like she's living in a dream. Theodore's gloves are wet and cold with all the ice that he has been picking up from the ground to play with, but he's not minding a bit. Christian has snow on his coat everywhere, there are white stains all over his clothes and even in his hair and some in his shoes, but he is not paying any attention to it.

Ana has just retired from a snow fight with Christian ganging up with their son to fight against her. She throws snowballs at him, not having the heart to throw anything at her son, but she has to endure two people's attack. However, she's enjoying herself very much, not even caring about the unfairness.

Christian is now building a snowman with Teddy, even though their son looks tired already, but he's still not done with the snow yet. Ana knows that Christian is enjoying the procedure of building a snowman himself since it has been too long since he last built one. Smiling at herself as the scene of a father and son playing with the snow unfold in front of her.

Once the snowman is done, Christian goes around and picks out two sticks off the ground, handing it to Teddy. Then picks up two small round red pebbles, putting it in Teddy's small hand and suggests that the snowman needs eyes.

Ana laughs when Teddy starts arguing with his dad about needing a carrot for the nose. Since they can't find a carrot in the middle of the park, Christian is trying his best to bullshit and convincing his son that a snowman without a nose is now the new sexy.

"Teddy." Ana stands up, calling for his son's attention once an idea springs into her head. Both the father and the son looks up at her as she approaches them. When Ana is about to speak out her idea, a snowball strikes her right on her abdominal, she looks away from her son to find her husband smirking at her deviously. "Oh you're on, and this time, Teddy's with me." She points at her husband, fisting a snowball, squeezing it to make sure the snow is condense and the ball is hard.

"I don't wanna hit Daddy." Teddy whines before Ana can toss out that snowball. He gestures to the snowman, indicating that he still wants to work on his snowman. Christian smirks and goes up to Teddy, helping him finishing up the final touches of his snowman.

"You will be paying for that, Mr Grey." Ana whispers in his ear while letting the snowball in her hand hit his back with some force.

"I look forward to that, Mrs Grey." He replies with a wink.

"Now who's up for skiing?" Ana directs her question at Teddy, who in turn questions her. "Go grab onto Daddy's hand." She instructs, Teddy does so while Christian looks at Ana suspiciously.

"Whatever you're conspiring, you better make it good." He warns playfully.

"Oh trust me, it's going to be the best." Ana winks, then ignores him completely. "Now, tell sit back." She leans down to tell his son. "And tell daddy to pull you." She says before standing up. Ana smirks when Teddy requests Christian to drag him on the floor.

Teddy laughs and giggles when he is practically skiing on the snow covered grass, Christian bends to the side while pulling his son as if he is the reindeer pulling the slide. Seeing how happy and joyful his son is, and how he is also enjoying the moment, all he can think of is how wonderful his life is.

"I need to call Ros back." He says, pecking Ana on the lips as he disappears around the corner into his office. Just like the first time she's here, she strolls around the room, and taking in the spacious house that is now hers. Before she realizes, her feet is bringing her toward the piano sitting in the middle. Vivid memories of what they did on this piano flush back to her, making her smile; then there are the memories of Christian playing at night…

Teddy has just been changed by Gail and he is now running around the house with a pair of thick socks on so he doesn't have to wear shoes. Gail comes out following him and then sends a smile to Ana, shaking her head telling her that she tried to catch her son but he's just too energetic.

"I've got him, thanks Gail." Ana says, waving at Gail thanks. "Now, come here, baby boy." She calls for her son, but Teddy doesn't budge, he decides to follow Gail into the kitchen looking for snacks and food that he can get his fingers dirty on. Ana sighs and shakes her head but doesn't get up from the piano chair that she is sitting on.

Lifting up the case where the polished black and white keys are now exposed to her. She let her fingers brush over the edge of keys and then to he surface, when she is abut to press it down, she fears the noise that it is going to make, so she stops. She keeps hesitating, but her mind is urging her to press down the keys.

She places her hand on the center just like how she was taught in music class in school. Her thumb presses down to the central C note, then she plays with the pedals her feet are resting on.

Her mind is suddenly filled with the music that he played for her when he showed her Teddy's room. She doesn't understand how she can remember just that one piece of classic when all Christian plays is classic when they are in the playroom.

Before she knows it, her fingers are flying on the keyboard, pressing down the correct keys as if she is a robot programmed to play the piano.

She doesn't know how long she has been playing, but when she finishes, there are applause coming from all the direction in the house. Then she looks up to see that she has attracted quite some audience.

She blushes.

There is Taylor, Sawyer standing at the entrance of the great room, then Gail standing not so far from with Teddy besides her. Then Christian leaning against the door frame of their bedroom, she doesn't even know when he got there. The room is dead silent, and she doesn't like the look everyone is giving her, for all she knows, she just played the piano and why is everyone so surprised.

"Why didn't you tell me about your hidden talent, Mrs Grey?" Christian is the first to talk, like always, taking the first step to lead everyone.

"I didn't know this is also one of my hidden talents." Ana replies somewhat shyly, she doesn't know what to make of it, because she hates it when people are staring at her in awe. She is getting use to Christian's worshipping, but she won't be comfortable with a whole bunch of people looking at her like that.

"I don't mean your piano skills," Christian explains.

"What do you mean?" Everyone's head turn to him.

"What you've just played is not anything I've played to you before, I think you're improvising as you play. Do you know what you were playing?" Ana shakes her head, still can't seem to believe what he is suggesting. "I can recognize the beginning, but in the middle you've switched from a classical music to a modern piece."

Christian pushes himself off the door frame and then walks toward her, sitting down on the bench next to her, that is when she realizes that the staffs are all gone.

"I'm glad you're feeling relaxed and happy." He says next to her. "Your music says it all." He then answers the question written all over her face. "Maybe we should let Teddy play? Who knows if he has this same talent as his mother." He suggests, pulling a stun-faced Ana on his lap and planting a deep meaningful kiss on her lips.

"I think you will be better at teaching him than me." She says against their moving lips. He pulls away, cocking his head sideways in question. "You've taken piano classes when you were small, but all I know about music is what I got in music class from elementary school. Even then, I never paid attention to it. I don't even know half of the notes that I've pressed down when I played, I just thought it sounds nice so I played them."

"I guess I should be exploring and bringing out your other hidden talents, too. Don't you think, Mrs Grey?" He smiles, nuzzling her nose with his.

"But my other hidden talent can only be brought out in the bedroom."

"Oh no, that is not true. You have no idea just how much talent you have in controlling me. You have no idea just how much control you have over me." He grins, "but, I'm not saying no to the bedroom request."

With that said, he stands up with her in his arms, looking around to see that Teddy is still preoccupied with his search for food in the kitchen as Gail is hiding away everything he can potentially find.

"Show time, baby." He whispers in her face and kicks the door close behind them.


	8. Chapter 8

**All mistakes are mine, this is a work of pure fiction.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

Winter leaves along with the melting snow flakes, flowing out of the city of Seattle in the river and along the streams. Following the cool fresh breeze of spring comes the hot summer air. Teddy is now a year older. Three years into life, he is finally starting to have a taste of what an actual family is like, but knowing to be a Grey, drama always follows; and there is always a calm before the storm.

A few days ago, Ana revealed to Christian the last bit of information that she is withholding since the day she left. It is about her family.

"Christian, I'm thinking about taking a trip down to my mother's. Pay her a last visit of some sort." Ana brings up the topic that she is dreading to discuss but cannot avoid for any longer.

"You make it sound like she's dead." Christian says, only wanting to crack a joke, but that really did not come out well.

"She's as well as dead." Ana mutters, shrugging indifferently.

Ever since the news of her separation with Christian got to Carla, Ana has been treated with a cold-shoulder and barely acknowledged by her mother. As a wannabe socialite in Savannah, Carla has a very wide circle of friends and acquaintances. After all, she is the social butterfly who is getting richer and richer by marrying rich men.

"She's already giving me a weird look when I told her there will be no prenup, and now that I didn't take anything from you when I left, I'm apparently a monster in her eyes." Ana explains, thinking back to the last time she and her mom talked.

To Carla, a woman who grew up in a lower-middle class family, married a military man who then died, leaving a daughter behind for her to take care of, she has grown to become very dependent on men, especially on their financial support. When she met Ray, she married him for love, and that marriage did nothing to bring her the fortune and wealth that she currently possesses. That resulted her divorce. Since that marriage, she has stopped believing in love, she only believes one thing, and that is marriage brings money home.

Of course she is ecstatic when her daughter has a billionaire wrapped around her fingers and hooked to her hips, and she is even happier when she realized just how generous her son-in-law actually is. She is truly upset when Ana has taken the decision to struggle on her own with the child and not use the child to tie him down.

Greedy may not be the correct word to describe her, because Carla does not like the idea of possessing the wealth, instead, she likes the idea of having the owner of the wealth to herself. All her life, she has been trying to sculpt Ana into the kind of person that she is, having the kind of mindset that she has, but when Ana told her defiantly that she walked into the marriage with nothing so she will be walking out of with nothing, Carla is truly disappointed.

"I swear she loves you and treats you so well because you are her credit card. To her you are equivalent to that piece of plastic that you'd thrust at me without thinking twice every time I go out." Ana says, in respond to Christian's attempt to think better of Carla. "Don't be blinded by her charm, it's all just a façade."

"Then when do you want to go?" He sighs in defeat, but decides not to argue with his wife. If she doesn't want him to be close to her family to protect him even when he doesn't see the danger, then he will let her do it just for her own state of mind.

"This weekend." Ana has already planned out the trip, the only thing she needs him to do is to get the jet ready. "Take the day off on Friday, so we can spend it with Teddy. Then let him stay at your parents' house from Friday, pick him up after dinner on Sunday." She says, as if giving him orders to follow. Her voice doesn't sound like the kind that permits any space for arguments.

"Okay, I'll get the jet ready, and I'll clear my schedule on Friday." He nods, despite not liking the plan, but thinks better than to argue with her right now. He's learned to compromise from the conflicts that followed them throughout their reconciling phase.

.+.

When Friday comes, Christian is very reluctant to honor his promise to his family, to the extent that if not for security purposes, Ana will not hesitate to confiscate his phone. Their conversation at the breakfast table amused not only Gail who is on her way out, but also Taylor who just happens to be coming into the room to go through the plan of the day with the family.

"What do you want to do today, baby?" Christian tries and fails to sound excited for the day, but Ana know all he wants to do is close the deal that they are so close to finishing. To keep his promise, he tells Ros to take care of everything and his assistant to hold every call that is business related. It will be the first time that he is able to fully get work off his back, and contrary to what he thought, he actually hates it. Like the hypocrite that his wife claims he is, he likes to have 'incompetent fuckers' bothering him on his supposed day off, because that at least tells him that he still has control over his company; a complete cut-off like today isn't something that's ever entered his mind.

"Teddy suggests that we go to the park." Ana replies, smiling at her son lovingly, her eyes filled with adoration. "Ever since Gail brought him there few weeks ago, he's been telling me all about it." Teddy doesn't exactly know that place is called park, and even if he doesn't notice, but all his been talking about lately has something to do with that he did in the park.

"He is obsessed with the park." Ana continues, "I took him out last week for ice-cream and he won't have it, because it's not from the place that he remembers. He's pinned on the ice-cream shop in that park and everything else in the park." She giggles at the stubbornness of their child.

"I wonder who he got the stubbornness from." Christian pretends to muse, but his serious face quickly morphed into a smile when Ana flicked the back of her spoon that she's sucking on earlier at his forearm. "And if that's what Teddy's table manner will be in the future, don't come to me when he gets food allover your dress with the _flick_ of his little spoon." He mimics the movement of her wrist and gives her a smug wink, just to annoy her.

The day is Sawyer's day off, but upon hearing that they are heading out to the park, he decides to surprise them with something that little Teddy will be thrilled to see. Getting up and waking up his girlfriend in the process is not in Claire's plan for her day off either, but once she learns about the surprise that Sawyer is about to pull off with that little copper-head cutie, she's sold.

"If it wasn't for that little guy, I'd be yelling at you for being too devoted to your job and your boss." Claire grumbles as she combs through her tangled locks, trying to get a decent look out of her untamed hair.

"I know, I know." Sawyer waves her off impassively, he is texting Taylor to see about how exactly he was going to pull it off without being too suspicious. Knowing his boss, if Taylor starts to act weird around him, he will be alerted immediately, and that will ruin their family time. "I'm just glad that you didn't yell at me for having to go to Georgia."

"It's only the weekend."

"Yeah, but I'm supposed to be spending the two nights with you, cuddling in bed." Luke pouted, still feeling guilty to an extent when it comes to his job.

"I know, but it's your job to protect her. Plus, we are better off now that you've gotten a raise from that man."

"Courtesy to Ana."

"What?"

"Ana insisted on giving me a raise. Grey won't have it initially, but she fought him about it and he gave in, so here I am, getting doubled the amount I was paid for initially."

"I'd really like to go out with her some time. I've missed the time when she's still our roommate." Claire says dreamily. When Luke took Ana back, Claire was initially wary of her, but soon warmed up to her and now she's extremely fond of Ana. Luke knows that if something really happens to Ana, not only will he lose his job, he might also lose a part of Claire.

"You ready?" He asks, "we'll grab something to eat on our way to meet them."

Claire quickly comes out of the bathroom, putting on her running shoes as she reaches for the leash hanging on the door and whistles for the fury ball that goes charging at her.

"We're on our way, T."

.+.

"Teddy, teddy." Ana gently shakes his son who fell asleep in Christian's arms.

They have been running around on the grass, playing with everything they can find and walking to every place that Teddy's been to with Gail, just to revisit his dream land. After dumping the ice-cream that he cannot finish, he demands that daddy carries him, but no matter how they try, he just won't admit that he is tired. With all the yawns and the mumbles of words coming out of his mouth, he finally decides to stop fighting the tiredness, and falls sound asleep while leaning on his shoulder.

Ana thinks it is probably time for them to go home and prepare for their trip to Georgia, also to let Teddy go to Bellevue a little earlier than they scheduled. But when she hears the familiar sound of a panting dog around them, she snaps her head around and a large grin appears on her face. Instinctively, she rushes to her son and wakes him, much to her husband's dismay.

"Wake up, buddy." She says a little louder this time to a stirring Teddy who has drooled on Christian's shoulder. "Look who's here to see you." She wipes away the remaining drool that is at the corner of his mouth, taking out a tissue to clear Christian's shirt the same time as she points to the massive object that is making their way to them.

Teddy screams, and is suddenly wide awake. He is now jumped in Christian's arm, demanding to be put on the ground. Christian looks around worriedly, especially when his eyes land on the hound that is approaching.

Ana pockets the used tissue and reaches the couple who has the leash around the dog to restrain it. Teddy is hot on her tail after escaping his daddy's hold.

"Who's this, Teddy?" Ana bends down, her hand ruffling the dog's head while asking her son.

"Bear." Teddy shouts excitedly. "Bear!" Seeing as he is happy, the dog's tail wags even more violently, telling Teddy that it is also glad to see him.

"Yes, now go pat her and say hi to Bear." Ana says, encouraging Teddy to put his small hand on top of the dog's fluffy head.

"Sawyer?" Christian's voice is a mixture of shock and another unknown expression.

"Yes, sir."

Ana sniggers at the formalities between the two men, but decides to keep quiet about the unnecessary addresses. When Teddy is re-familiarized with the St. Bernard again, Ana straightens her back, giving Sawyer a courtly nod and then turns to embrace the woman standing next to him who is holding the leash. "Claire." Ana greets, stepping into her open arms.

"It's been so long, Ana." Claire says in return. "You look so much better now."

"Why are you two not curled up in bed at this hour of the day?" Ana asks, eyeing the couple suspiciously, Luke is focusing on the dog and Teddy's interaction, making sure that the dog doesn't hurt the little boy accidentally.

"Luke thought Teddy must've missed his 'significant other', so decides to bring her out to meet him, and it just happens that you are coming to the park today." Claire explains the thoughtful plan that Sawyer came up with this morning.

When Teddy first met the St. Bernard, he is smitten with the dog immediately, and starts calling her Bear, because he thinks it fits with his name. So Claire and Luke named the dog Bear, and now it just stuck to the dog, it won't respond to any other name other than 'Bear'.

"Well, can I take a photo of Teddy Bear?" Ana squats down, interrupting Teddy's interaction with Bear. It is a question that she always asks whenever Teddy is with the dog. Teddy likes it when people address him and the dog together, he just loves that animal more than anything.

Hugging on to the St. Bernard around the neck and stuffing his cheek in his soft fur, he grins at camera. Claire is also clicking on her phone relentlessly to savor the moment. It is rare to see their dog being so gentle with a small child. Usually, their dog is the exciting type that will jump on people that it knows. For instance, Ana has been jumped on every single time she appears within the dog's radar.

"Do you want to invite Bear over to our house for some time?" Ana asks Teddy seeing as he doesn't have the intention of letting the animal go back to its home. Teddy nods really hard, almost disconnecting his head, then looks up at his dad, as if he needs permission from both of his parents. Christian looks wary at first, but quickly nods, not wanting to disappoint his son, and the dog seems like a harmless creature at the same time.

"Then ask Luke or Claire if you can have her for the next weekend?" She tells his son and his son is suddenly shy.

"She'll be really happy to stay with you for the weekend, Teddy." Claire speaks up, attempting to bring Teddy out of the misery that his mother is putting him through.

"Teddy, you have to speak up to what you want. You were never afraid of asking for something when we were living with them, right? They are still your friends, you can ask them for anything. I'm sure this dog will be yours if only you asked for it, politely." Ana lectures, ignoring Claire's offer, she wants her son to speak up and be brave about his thoughts.

So the four adults stand there, waiting for Teddy to speak, when he finally does from behind Ana's legs, Ana gives him a loud kiss on the cheek.

"Now, say goodbye to Bear and tell her she'll be staying with us next weekend." Ana says, knowing if she doesn't let him have Bear for the next weekend, she won't be able to get his son away from the dog that whole day.

Teddy goes up to the dog and whispers into its ear, Christian looks more than amused at the moment. He doesn't laugh, but when he sees Ana biting her bottom lip trying not to let out a giggle, he reaches her and let out a deep chuckle so that she can hear it.

"You're the perfect mother that any kid could ask for." He whispers in her ear, kissing the sweet spot behind her ear and another one on her neck. "I'm so lucky to have you in my life."

Suddenly, two paws appear on her shoulder, and hot breath is blowing in her face. She swears she heard Christian's yelp when the beast attacked her. Ana return the embrace from Bear, something that she always does when Bear hugs her. Then grabbing both of her paws, she puts her gently back on to the ground, planting a kiss on the crown of her head, she pats her head and then blows a kiss at her nose before tearing herself from the dog.

"Is it always like that?" Christian looks uncertain of how safe the dog is when Ana takes out the tissue in her pocket and starts to wipe her face.

"I've had worse from her." Ana giggles, taking Teddy's hand and leading him away from the couple and to their car.

"So my wife has been constantly kissed by a dog and I don't even know that."

* * *

 **One more chapter to go~**

 **I reply to reviews and PMs. My profile page can be useful, sometimes.**

 **Please tell me if you prefer an update some time tomorrow or a week later?**


	9. Chapter 9

_**As ya'll wish~**_

 **All mistakes are mine.**

 **This is a work of pure fiction.**

 **Skip the author's note at the end if you really only care about the story, it's long (relatively/rather).**

* * *

Savannah, Georgia

"I'm expecting to have dinner with my mom and my extended family here. Then another meal with my mom and some of her closest friends. After that, I think we are ready to get out of here." Ana says, looking out the window as they drive to her mother's house. She hasn't been hiding her annoyance since her phone call to her mom, telling her about their visit.

"Okay. I can deal with two meals." Christian says, still not seeing why Ana hates it when he is trying to get close to her mom's side of the family.

"Oh no, it won't be easy, Grey." She retorts quickly. "You have no idea just how crazy my mom can go on a dinner table." She mutters the last part. "Wait until you are there yourself."

The rest of the car ride is in silent. Just as Ana has anticipated, Carla has put on her socialite face mask to greet them. When she shakes Christian's hand, Ana can almost see the dollar sign dancing in her mother's eyes.

"Where's Bob?" Ana asks, just to be polite. Bob is Carla's husband number five or six, Ana has already lost count of the times she's been married and divorced. This Bob is her mom's current flavor, and by far the richest man that her mom can tie down with nothing but her fake charms. Ana's never fond of any men that her mom has married, but she won't be judging them since she isn't going to be staying close to them anyways.

"Oh, yes. Bob." Carla calls into the house. "Christian, Bob is also a businessman, I'm sure you two will have a lot to talk about." She then turns to Ana's husband, she is certain that her mom spends more time ogling at her son-in-law than actually paying attention to her own daughter. "I'm so glad that you're willing to take Ana back after what she's done to the family." Carla then adds just as Bob appears in their sight. Rolling her eyes, Ana can feel the anger starting to build in Christian, so she lifts up a hand to rub his lower back to calm him and conveying the message that she's not bothered.

.+.

The dinner with the family went as well as it can. Ana is gritting her teeth as she sits through all the flattery and the praises people are singing about her husband, it can't be more obvious to her that they have googled about him prior to the meeting. Ana can't rant enough about how fake her family has been. The only fortunate thing out of that dinner is the fact that her mom has toned down their sick family tradition to get drunk at the dinner table.

Now they are back in her old room, and she has just got out of the shower, she is going to call him but when she sees him staring at the photographs on the wall around the room with a creased eyebrow, her heartbeat quickens and her insecurities starts to grow.

"I was lost as a child, since I've not got much of a guidance." She said, pointing at the old photos that Christian was staring at, he turns around but not before jumping slightly at her voice. "These clothes were filthy and uncared of, they didn't really care about me, my dad only provided as much, and my mom simply neglected me in the subtle way." She explained, sitting at the edge of her bed behind him. "It's okay, you can make disgusting faces."

"I'm disgusted by your clothes, but you are a really pretty girl beneath all that shit on you." He said genuinely. "You still are the most beautiful girl I've ever met."

"Flattering won't redeem or cleanse my dark soul, Christian."

"You don't have a dark soul, Anastasia, for all I know, you have the biggest heart."

"You don't know what you're talking about Christian. I wanted to divorce you but I don't have the heart to do so. I know you'd think of the wrong reason. I love you and I am in love with you, deeply. I just think I'm incapable of marriage and a family because I am so lost in the world and in the society. I don't want to be the burden clinging on you that you can't get rid of. I was lost as a kid and I still am. The moment I walked out, I thought about divorce, but I knew you'd think because I hate you for what you did, and it's not. I don't hate you for a bit."

"So why didn't you divorce me? I get that you love me and all, I'm not doubting your feelings for me for a single second."

"Because I chose to be selfish. I chose to have you all to myself because I can't bear the thought of you with another woman. I know I should let you go as I am incapable of finding the true purpose and meaning of life, I am too lost in this world to know how to live. But in a moment of weakness, I gave in to my selfishness and possessiveness. I got jealous even thinking of setting you free, I want to have you so I gave into my desire. Do you hate me for it?"

"Hate you? Fuck no. I'd rather you hold on to me, bound me to you and never let go. I thought we're done with all those depressing talks, I thought we promised to get rid of these thoughts."

"Yes, and I did. But coming down here made me remembered why I decided to hand our son to you, why I decided that my illness can wait for as long as it wants, because I don't want to live anymore. That's why I wasn't at all bothered to go to the hospital, I was living for Teddy's sake that whole year. I just thought you wouldn't want to see me because you moved on, and Teddy can have a better life with you with all your wealth, influence and your family's love. The world doesn't need me, no one does."

"I do, Ana. You are so wrong about one thing. The world may not need you, but I do, and Teddy does. You are my oxygen, Ana, I may be a sucker at showing how much you mean to me, but I know I cannot live without you."

"Do you know why my mom and families are so thrilled about meeting you? It's not only because you're good looking, but also because you're rich. I think that's not hard to guess. They all know that my mom is on the tight end of her daily budget, beverage and smoke and all the shit she consumes, she can barely keep the house with the property tax by her little income if it weren't for my support. When she learned that I married a rich guy, she asked for money. I know you'd give it to her because their my family, you're a generous man and you won't stress about a few thousands, but I won't allow it. I brought you back out of courtesy, I didn't even want to come back myself this time. They were gawking at your body and your money. Your property is also mine now, but all I want to say is, if and when she went crazier than she already is and stopped asking for money discreetly, meaning through me, I don't want you to give her any support. Tell her that you need to consult me and I'm the one making the decision."

"I will ask you no matter what, Ana."

"But if it really is her, I don't care if you ask me or not, because you are not giving it to her."

"And I won't. I dislike her as much as you do, Ana, I won't go and appease her because that won't do any good to our relationship. I'd do anything for you, and only you. If not giving them money is what you want, then that's what I will do. I will give you and do whatever you want me to do, Ana."

Her mom wanted a house, a bigger one than the one she was currently living in which she bought with Ray at the time. Christian didn't understand why couldn't he just give them the money, it wasn't like it would do any harm, but Ana said it would make them even greedier and it would make her look like she married for money and not for love. Then her family would be calling her for her money now that she was rich, being married to a billionaire and all.

.+.

"You will not be acting disrespectful to my friends tonight, Anastasia." Christian wakes up to the shouting from the living room downstairs.

"I was merely protecting my husband yesterday night from the ruthless attacks from my family as he was clearly _uncomfortable_." Ana shots back. "If you really know me, at all, Carla, you will be fucking _delighted_ that I didn't just say fuck it and walk out of the damn door. Because if you tolerate one more inquiry session with every single woman in the room ogling at my husband with dollar signs dancing in their eyes, then you'll be sorry when I walk out of this fucking door."

"You wouldn't dare, Anastasia." Carla bites back.

"We both know damn well that I will. I don't give a fuck about how rude that will be, because that is what I will do if you dare to bring up anything regarding his wealth and anything about our marriage." Ana hisses, she seems to have forgotten about another pair of ears that she left lying in her bed. "You'll be damned when that happens, along with your reputation."

"My reputation has nothing to do with you when my friends see how much of a bitch you really are." Carla shouts.

"Then for the last fucking time, my marriage is also not your goddamn business." Ana's voice is raised but she isn't shouting like her mother is, she is too angry to even shout, she wants to scream in her ear and tear her limbs apart. "I hope my I put on a show tonight, then." And with the deadly calm threat, she stalks up the stairs, opening her door quietly not wanting to wake up Christian.

"Are you okay?" His voice startles her when she turns around to close the door behind.

"Shit, sorry. Did we wake you?" After what she's just been through, she's still thinking about him.

"No, I woke up not long after you got up." He lies, not wanting Ana to go down the guilt trip again. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"We can talk about it on the jet, I'm sure the same thing will happen tonight." Ana sighs, climbing in to bed and laying next to him. "I'm sorry you have to hear all that."

"Stop apologizing, Ana." Christian rubs his face frustratedly. "You are the last person that needs to apologize to the others." He says, reminding her of the conversation he had with her a couple of days back when he told her about Mia's visit in the hospital.

"I forgive Mia." She mumbles in his chest, somehow he knows what he has said will remind her of their conversation. "But that doesn't mean the physical sting didn't hurt." She continues and she feels Christian nods his head even though she can't see him. "I don't want to hold grudges, it's just too tiring. I've forgiven your family long time ago, but I haven't forgotten everything that has happened. We were both at fault, maybe yours is more than mine, but it is a chained reaction." She says and Christian just listens, he knows she needs to say it. "I appreciate your family giving me time and space. Mia's apology is accepted and she is forgiven, but I think I will need longer to warm up to her than I will to your family. I understand where they are coming from, I don't blame them for treating me like they did and making the assumptions that they made."

"And I regret not defending you." He murmurs in her hair, kissing it as if to make up for the wrongs that he did her.

"If you're starting that again, then I'd say I regret ever being weak and leaving you."

"But that would only make us go in circles and never move on."

"Yes, you've become wiser now. Or is that Flynn talking?" Ana smiles as she looks up at him through her eye lashes.

"Now we're talking." Christian smiles warmly at her, liking the sound of her soft giggle.

.+.

"Christian, it is a tradition to have a drink made by the members of our circle." Carla says, taking the shot glass that contains the alcohol that her friends just mixed with different drinks of their own poured into the small glass container.

When the first person takes out a shot glass and pouring a bit of her beverage inside, the other people followed suit, Carla has half the intention to stop them, but one reminder of the fun she had, she gives in. Ana knows exactly what is going on, but she also know Christian doesn't. Eyeing the glass that has been passing around the table while Christian seems to be acting like the polite person that he is, answering the invading questions that are thrown at him, turning down the ones that are over the line.

For the first time, Ana is grateful that Taylor and Sawyer are with them, because if Christian really is going to drink down the disgusting and spiteful drink that Carla's friends so 'kindly' mixed for him, he won't be making back to Seattle in a conscious state.

"What's the tradition?" Christian takes the shot glass from their hands and examines it from side to side, debating whether to trust them or not.

"It is how we welcome a new member to the elite social class in this town. The drink is like an alliance vow that you have to drink upon." One explains, the others are looking at him expectantly and that is when Ana thinks they've had enough fun with him tonight.

"No, you're not drinking it." Ana says furiously, snatching the shot glass out of his hand and pours the liquid out on the table. "There, clean and drop less." Ana shakes the glass in front of everyone.

When everyone looks at her in astonishment, Carla stands ups giving Ana the sternest glare.

"Ana, you know what that means." Carla tries with her saccharide voice, obviously trying to sugar coat everything.

"Of course, Carla." Ana shots back, addressing her by her name. "My husband is not going to be the supplier of your stupid 'pension committee', I'm sure all of your are rich enough to supply your own fashion products. You live off on Bob and you have inherited fortunes from your early marriages, I'm done being the nice little daughter that would cut my own living to save up money for your fake ass."

"Wow, look at you, what's going on Ana?" Carla starts to put on a stupid act, just to put her friends off.

"What's going on?" Ana huffs, her hand slams on to the table, almost making Christian jump. She shoots up from her seat, glaring right into Carla's eyes. "I'm putting on a show to entertain your guest, to show them how much of a bitch I am. They are going to be the witness of what I'm going to say next." She declares, feeling Christian taking her hand in and rubbing circles on the back of her hand in an attempt to calm her, but it is useless at that moment. "You are not going to be receiving any financial aid from my family. I will stop being that daughter who gives you money when you ask for it, I am going to be that bitch you hate who won't spare you a dollar even if she sees you begging on your knees. My husband may be a wealthy and a generous man, maybe he is willing to give you the amount that you want just to get you off my back, but I won't let that happen. What's his is now mine, and I won't let you lay a single filthy finger of yours on _my_ property."

"You will regret that." Carla growls."

"Come on, we're leaving." Ana tugs on Christian's hand and pulling him out of the seat just to emphasize her point. Taylor has already gone to get the car, Sawyer is at the door waiting for them.

"The only thing I will regret is ever sending you the money that I did for five consecutive years." Ana's tone is just as icy as her eyes. Just one look in them will send chills down your spine and freeze your soul.

.+.

Coming out of the elevator after a day of stressful work on Monday, Christian comes home hearing a faint sound of piano from the great room. Curiosity soon takes over his initial feeling of fatigue as his legs carry him to the room where the grand piano is occupied.

 _And the blood will dry_

 _Underneath my nails_

 _And the wind will rise up_

 _To fill my sails_

The sound of the original tune is not completely covered with the piano, but the voice of his wife is definitely the only sound that he can hear right now. Despite the song playing in the background and the softness of Ana's voice, he is still able to distinguish Anastasia Grey's voice from Skylar Grey's. Her voice is like siren to his ears, even though the way she is singing it sends off a slightly different vibe than the original singer, but he still can't deny the musical talent that has been hidden in her for all this time.

 _So you can doubt_

 _And you can hate_

 _But I know_

 _No matter what it takes_

He's never heard of this song, but he knows it is empowering. Whether this song is for the soldiers that are coming home from the war zone, or just her feeling about finally getting away from her mother and the place where bad memories are flushing back to her, he can feel her relief in the song. He can feel that she is at ease and comfortable.

 _I'm coming home_

 _I'm coming home_

 _Tell the world that I'm coming home_

 _Let the rain_

 _Wash away_

 _All the pain of yesterday_

 _I know my kingdom awaits_

 _And they've forgiven my mistakes_

 _I'm coming home_

 _I'm coming home_

 _Tell the world I'm coming_

She must've sensed his presence, because she stops and turns.

Taking out his hands from his pockets, he waits for her to place hers in his.

"Dance with me." He requests in a barely audible voice, reaching for the controller on the piano and turns the volume up.

Ana complies, stepping into his arms.

The move reminds her so much of their time together when they first met, it was the night before they were going to Bellevue to have dinner.

 _Still far away_

 _From where I belong_

 _But it's always darkest_

 _Before the dawn_

"You've improved since the last time we've danced, Mrs Grey."

"Maybe I just have an amazing teacher."

 _So you can doubt_

 _And you can hate_

 _But I know_

 _No matter what it takes_

Christian twirls her around as he starts to let his voice out. He is singing in her ear at first, but when she joins him, his confidence starts to grow.

 _I'm coming home_

 _I'm coming home_

 _Tell the world I'm coming home_

 _Let the rain_

 _Wash away_

 _All the pain of yesterday_

 _I know my kingdom awaits_

 _And they've forgiven my mistakes_

 _I'm coming home_

 _I'm coming home_

 _Tell the world I'm coming_

Ana rests her head on his shoulder, her hands rubbing his arms. With her body encased in his, she felt safe and felt like home. For the first time, she felt she was truly at home.

 _I'm coming home_

 _I'm coming home_

 _Tell the world I'm coming home_

 _Let the rain_

 _Wash away_

 _All the pain of yesterday_

 _I know my kingdom awaits_

 _And they've forgiven my mistakes_

 _I'm coming home_

 _I'm coming home_

 _Tell the world I'm coming_

"I'd like to have dinner with your parents this Sunday. We can go pick up

Teddy together afterward." She says to him at the end of the song.

He closes his eyes to savor the moment, the moment when he could foresee the happily ever after with the people he loves the most loving each other. It was the fairy tale ending that he cannot envision himself having just a few years ago, and now it seems so surreal yet so real at the same time. He has always think of himself as an unlovable man who will never find happiness again, but this woman has proved all his past theories wrong.

Maybe he can live in the future, maybe his future won't be haunted by his past; he just has to believe in it, believe in love.

"Welcome home, baby."

 **The End.**

* * *

 **Now, for the cheesy part: Thank you, to all that accompanied me through this journey. Without you, there wouldn't be the ups and the downs; without you, there wouldn't be any establishment on how bad my writing skills can be. You, my readers, are the constant to this story. I will be forever grateful to those who followed the story of Christian and Anastasia till the end. Despite the negativity and the lost of motivation in the middle, this is still finished. Your contribution is greatly appreciated!**

 **Now, for real: I know everyone has different expectation for one thing, and many had envisioned, perhaps, a different ending than mine, but in spite all that, I do hope we end on a good note. This story is originally a quick, short story, but it turns out to be taking longer than planned. As a writer, I know there are tons of space for improvement and I know I've been criticized a lot throughout the process. I will be polishing my skills and enhancing my work in order to make it a better piece, for your entertainment and for mine, too. Thank you for everyone, the trolls, the supporters, the critics... no matter which category you're putting yourself in, I kept every single one of your comments, because they are yours and they represent your thoughts, and I believe that I have no control over what you think and I cannot stop you from dissing my story. So, my point is, I don't blame you for hating it, I don't blame your for hating me, I don't blame you for cursing everything about me; but I do appreciate some help if you are capable to do so regarding the area that you've pointed out as my weakness.**

 **I'd like to give a special shoutout to mic476, bluesky5678, daytonalay, guest (Kim), Cindra, Eldean, pepe71 and carla. rbaptista** **(sorry, I have to add a space, or else your name won't show) for your wonderful reviews throughout the story! Thank you for showing your full support despite everything that's going on. I know my characters can be controversial in all of my stories, they can be conflicting sometimes and obviously, very out of character.**

 **To carla. rbaptista, the only non-English reviewer. Although I have to Google translate your review from Portuguese every time, I'm still loving every single one of them. They are encouraging and supportive. Thank you for your support to all of my stories!**

 **To bluesky5678. Thank you for the advice and every suggestions that you've provided, even though I may not have taken upon all or listened to everything, but I am still very appreciated by the kind gestures. Thank you, and I hope to see you again in my other stories!**

 **To daytonalay. You're very welcome for the updates, and thank you for the reviews.**

 **To Cindra. I know you didn't exactly review much in this story, but I do remember you from my other stories, and I'd like to thank you for that. It's nice to know that you're considering the characters' personality and suggesting a solution for them.**

 **Lastly, please forgive me for my grammatical errors, forgive me for the unrealistic parts, and please keep this in mind- my works will always be a work of pure fiction, anything written inside has the potential to come true, but please do not believe that events in my stories will ever come true unless it has already happened. I just want to say that, I don't mind if you judge the character, and I don't mind if you diss them, but please don't judge my story because of them. I'm not forcing you to like the characters and I'm not forcing you to like my stories, you can tell me what you don't like and what you like, you can cuss at the characters for being an ass or a bitch (because I do agree with you sometimes, or most of the times), but if you hate me as a writer or my story because of the characters, then you might as well opt to leave the story or leave me.**

 **This is the first multi-chaptered story that I've finished, on this fandom, and this will not be the last. I hope to see you around, especially in my other stories. My profile may be useful, and I hope you will like my writing style (despite the mistakes and grammar) or my way of thinking.**

 **Before I go, I'd like to give credits to** _avameyers_ **, her story** _Fifty Shades After_ **is the story that got me inspired the most. The start is similar, but rest assure, I didn't plagiarize. I just want to thank her for the idea that got me this story!**

 **Yours truly,**

 **-SapphireTrafficker-**

Laters, baby

XX


End file.
